The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

“But I could tell you so many juicy stories about him,
approximately aged ten to twenty-five.” Holden was delighted
at the prospect. “He’d be mortified.”
“Are they about taxidermy?”
“Taxidermy?”
“Nothing. Just something Tom had said about . . .” She
waved her hand. “Nothing.”
Holden’s gaze turned sharp. “Adam said you might be
going to work with Tom next year. Is that true?”
“Oh . . . yeah. That’s the plan.”
He nodded, pensive. Then seemed to come to some sort of
decision and added, “Watch your back while you’re around
him, okay?”
“My back?” What? Why? Did this have anything to do
with what Adam had mentioned—Holden not liking Tom?
“What do you mean?”
“Adam’s back, too. Especially Adam’s back.” Holden’s
expression remained intense for a moment, and then lightened
up. “Anyway. Tom only met Adam in grad school. But I was
there in his teenage years—that’s when the good stories are
from.”
“Oh. You probably shouldn’t tell me. Since . . .” Since he’s
faking a relationship with me and surely doesn’t want me in his
business. Also, he’s probably in love with someone else.
“Oh, of course. I’ll wait until he’s present. I want to see his
face when I tell you everything about his newsboy-cap phase.”
She blinked. “His . . . ?”
He nodded solemnly and stepped out, closing the door
behind him and leaving her alone in the chilly, semidark lab.
Olive had to take several deep breaths before she could focus
on her work.