CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE - Balancing Act

Their eyes met, and Claire felt a familiar flutter in her stomach. The connection between them had been growing stronger with each passing day, and moments like these only served to deepen it further. As they left the museum, the Parisian afternoon stretched before them, full of possibility. "Hungry?" Mason asked, gesturing to a charming café across the street. Claire nodded, realizing she'd been so engrossed in their museum visit that she'd forgotten about lunch. "Starving, actually. Lead the way." The café was bustling with lunchtime patrons, but they managed to snag a small table near the window. As they perused the menu, their conversation shifted to more personal topics. "So," Claire began, setting down her menu, "you mentioned the other day that you were considering a new project. Care to share any details?" Mason's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "It's still in the early stages, but I've been thinking about developing an AI system for early detection of mental health issues. T