The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

you need to get over it. For science. I’m taking you to get a flu
shot.”
“I—”
“This is nonnegotiable. I’ll hold your hand, during.”
“I don’t need you to hold my hand. Since I’m not going.”
Except that he was going. He could have planted his feet and
stood his ground, and he would have turned into an immovable
object; Olive would have had no way of dragging him
anywhere. And yet.
She let her hand slide down to his wrist and looked up at
him. “You so are.”
“Please.” He looked pained. “Don’t make me.”
He was so adorable. “It’s for your own good. And for the
good of the elderly people who might come in any proximity
to you. Even more elderly than you, that is.”
He sighed, defeated. “Olive.”
“Come on. Maybe we’re lucky and the chair will spot us.
And I’ll buy you an ice cream sandwich afterward.”
“Will I be paying for this ice cream sandwich?” He
sounded resigned now.
“Likely. Actually, scratch that, you probably don’t like ice
cream anyway, because you don’t enjoy anything that’s good
in life.” She kept on walking, pensively chewing on her lower
lip. “Maybe the cafeteria has some raw broccoli?”
“I don’t deserve this verbal abuse on top of the flu shot.”
She beamed. “You’re such a trooper. Even though the big
bad needle is out to get you.”
“You are a smart-ass.” And yet, he didn’t resist when she
continued to pull him behind her.