The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

added begrudgingly, “he’s not not hot. I can see why you’d hit
that.”
“This is not what you said when I first told you about the
fake dating.”
“No, but I’m trying to be supportive here. You weren’t in
love with him at the time.”
She groaned. “Can we please not use that word? Ever
again? It seems a little premature.”
“Sure.” Malcolm brushed nonexistent dust off his buttondown.
“Way to bring a rom-com to life, by the way. So, how
are you going to break the news?”
She massaged her temple. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you have a thing for him, and you two are friendly.
I’m assuming you’re planning to inform him of your . . .
feelings? Can I use the word ‘feelings’?”
“No.”
“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “You’re going to tell him,
right?”
“Of course not.” She snorted out a laugh. “You can’t tell
the person you’re fake-dating that you”—her brain scanned
itself for the correct word, didn’t find it, and then stumbled on
—“like them. It’s just not done. Adam will think I orchestrated
this. That I was after him all along.”
“That’s ridiculous. You didn’t even know him at the time.”
“Maybe I did, though. Do you remember the guy I told you
about, who helped me decide about grad school? The one I
met in the bathroom over my interview weekend?”
Malcolm nodded.
“He might have been Adam. I think.”
“You think? You mean you didn’t ask him?”