The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

A beat. Adam studied her, patient and curious. “It is.”
She bit into her lower lip. “Do you know what the chair has
decided about your funds?”
“Oh, right. The funds will be unfrozen.” He seemed happy,
his eyes brilliant in an almost boyish way. It broke her heart a
little. “I meant to tell you tonight at dinner.”
“That’s great.” She managed a smile, small and pitiful in
her mounting anxiety. “That’s really great, Adam. I’m happy
for you.”
“Must have been your sunscreen skills.”
“Yeah.” Her laugh sounded fake. “I’ll have to put them on
my CV. Fake girlfriend with extensive experience. Microsoft
Office and excellent sunscreen skills. Available immediately,
only serious callers.”
“Not immediately.” He looked at her curiously. Tenderly.
“Not for a while, I’d say.”
The weight, the one that had been pressing into her
stomach since she’d realized what needed to be done, sank
heavier. Now—this was it. The coda. The moment it all ended.
Olive could do this, and she would, and things would be all the
better for it.
“I think I should be.” She swallowed, and it was like acid
down her throat. “Available.” She scanned his face, noticed his
confusion, and clenched her fist in the hem of her sweater.
“We gave ourselves a deadline, Adam. And we accomplished
everything we wanted. Jeremy and Anh are solid—I doubt
they even remember that Jeremy and I used to date. And your
funds have been released, which is amazing. The truth is . . .”
Her eyes stung. She closed them tight, managing to push
the tears back. Barely.