The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Because millions of dollars in research funds couldn’t beworth having some girl he barely knew sit on his lap in themost crowded room in the history of crowded rooms.Is this okay? she tried to ask him with her eyes. Becausemaybe this is a little too much. Way more than saying hi toeach other and having coffee together.He gave her a brief nod, and then—Olive, or at leastOlive’s body, was stepping toward Adam and gingerly sittingon his thigh, her knees tucked between his spread legs. It washappening. It had happened already. Olive was here.Sitting.On.Adam.This. Yep, this.This was her life now.She was going to murder Anh for this. Slowly. Maybepainfully, too. She was going to be jailed for bestfriendicide,and she was a-okay with it.“I’m sorry,” she whispered to Adam. He was so tall, hermouth was not quite level with his ear. She could smell him—the woodsiness of his shampoo, his body wash, and somethingelse underneath, dark and good and clean. It all felt familiar,and after a few seconds Olive realized that it was because ofthe last time they had been this close. Because of The Night.Because of the kiss. “So, so sorry.”He didn’t immediately answer. His jaw tensed, and helooked in the direction of the PowerPoint. Dr. Moss was gone,Tom was talking about cancer diagnostics, and Olive wouldhave gobbled this up on a regular day, but right now she justneeded out. Of the talk. Of the room. Of her own life.
Then Adam turned his face a little and told her, “It’s okay.”He sounded a bit strained. Like nothing about this situationwas, in fact, okay.“I’m sorry. I had no idea she would suggest this, and Icouldn’t think of a way to—”“Sssh.” His arm slid around her waist, his hand coming torest on her hip in a gesture that should have been unpleasantbut just felt reassuring. His voice was low when he added, “It’sfine.” The words vibrated in her ear, rich and warm. “Morematerial for my Title IX complaint.”Shit. “God, I’m so sorry—”“Olive.”She lifted her eyes to catch his and was shocked to findhim . . . not smiling, but something like it.“I was kidding. You weigh nothing. I don’t mind.”“I—”“Ssh. Just focus on the talk. Tom might ask you questionsabout it.”This was just . . . Seriously, this whole business, it wascompletely, utterly . . .Comfortable. Adam Carlsen’s lap was one of the mostcomfortable places on earth, as it turned out. He was warm andsolid in a pleasant, soothing way, and he didn’t seem to mindtoo much having Olive half draped over him. After a shortwhile she realized that the room was truly too full for anyoneto be paying attention to them, except for a quick glance fromHolden Rodrigues, who studied Adam for a long moment andthen smiled warmly at Olive before focusing on the talk. Shestopped pretending to be able to hold her spine upright formore than five minutes and just let herself lean into Adam’s
- Page 63 and 64: “About you.”“Oh.” Olive’s
- Page 65 and 66: “Though, I’ve been thinking abo
- Page 67 and 68: sexual intercourse between the two
- Page 69 and 70: “For this to work we should proba
- Page 71: talk about. Their ten-minute coffee
- Page 74 and 75: “The relationship, it’s fake. W
- Page 76 and 77: “I have, haven’t I? Did I ever
- Page 78 and 79: Olive nodded again. When a single t
- Page 80 and 81: little unsettling, the realization
- Page 82 and 83: Olive smiled back, gesturing at Ada
- Page 84 and 85: herring for breakfast on the reg. M
- Page 87 and 88: WAS LATE for her second fake-dating
- Page 89 and 90: “I worked.”They got in line to
- Page 91 and 92: department chair this morning. He
- Page 93 and 94: “Is that so?”“Mmm.”His mout
- Page 95 and 96: “The time difference screwed me u
- Page 97 and 98: that he wasn’t planning to. Olive
- Page 99 and 100: “That is, I, um . . . never put t
- Page 101 and 102: “What kind of question is that?
- Page 103 and 104: “Who?”“Tom,” Adam said, a t
- Page 105 and 106: Olive had no idea he was giving a t
- Page 107: Adam laughed silently just as Tom s
- Page 110 and 111: “Hey—sorry.” She gestured in
- Page 114 and 115: torso. He didn’t say anything but
- Page 116 and 117: pitch her voice. “Or do you maybe
- Page 118 and 119: Cherie just standing there, chattin
- Page 120 and 121: “Because you moved the truck. I
- Page 122 and 123: this time with the sleeve of his sh
- Page 124 and 125: “The— Oh.” Adam rolled his ey
- Page 127 and 128: with an uneasy expression and start
- Page 129 and 130: “Yeah, well.” He stood and walk
- Page 131: Olive: Did you just fail Greg?trick
- Page 137 and 138: In the back seat Olive and Jeremy e
- Page 139 and 140: a six-pack?”Jeremy blinked. “Mi
- Page 141 and 142: 1.5. Okay, I don’t like this. Jer
- Page 143 and 144: had a choice. Any choice. Especiall
- Page 145 and 146: “So.” Her mouth was dry. “Thi
- Page 147 and 148: She pinched him lightly on the unde
- Page 149 and 150: Adam nodded, Tom spun around and he
- Page 151: “What? No.”“Because that’s
- Page 154 and 155: “Should you be having caffeine at
- Page 156 and 157: “Can’t stand chocolate.”Olive
- Page 158 and 159: He glared, but she was starting to
- Page 160 and 161: “There are things you can do abou
Then Adam turned his face a little and told her, “It’s okay.”
He sounded a bit strained. Like nothing about this situation
was, in fact, okay.
“I’m sorry. I had no idea she would suggest this, and I
couldn’t think of a way to—”
“Sssh.” His arm slid around her waist, his hand coming to
rest on her hip in a gesture that should have been unpleasant
but just felt reassuring. His voice was low when he added, “It’s
fine.” The words vibrated in her ear, rich and warm. “More
material for my Title IX complaint.”
Shit. “God, I’m so sorry—”
“Olive.”
She lifted her eyes to catch his and was shocked to find
him . . . not smiling, but something like it.
“I was kidding. You weigh nothing. I don’t mind.”
“I—”
“Ssh. Just focus on the talk. Tom might ask you questions
about it.”
This was just . . . Seriously, this whole business, it was
completely, utterly . . .
Comfortable. Adam Carlsen’s lap was one of the most
comfortable places on earth, as it turned out. He was warm and
solid in a pleasant, soothing way, and he didn’t seem to mind
too much having Olive half draped over him. After a short
while she realized that the room was truly too full for anyone
to be paying attention to them, except for a quick glance from
Holden Rodrigues, who studied Adam for a long moment and
then smiled warmly at Olive before focusing on the talk. She
stopped pretending to be able to hold her spine upright for
more than five minutes and just let herself lean into Adam’s
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