The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

In a lie.
A lie, after a lot of lies. So many lies she’d told, so many
true things she could have said but never did, all because she’d
been too scared of the truth, of driving the people she loved
away from her. All because she’d been afraid to lose them. All
because she hadn’t wanted to be alone again.
Well, the lying hadn’t worked out too well. In fact, it had
downright sucked lately. Time for plan B, then.
Time for some truth.
“No. I don’t want to deal with the consequences.”
Sarah Helen smiled. “Then, my friend, you better go do
your thing.” She pressed a button, and the passenger door
unlocked with a clunk. “And you better give me a perfect
rating. For the free psychotherapy.”
This time, Olive managed to get out of the car. She tipped
Sarah Helen 150 percent, took a deep breath, and made her
way into the restaurant.
—
SHE FOUND ADAM immediately. He was big, after all, and the
restaurant was not, which made for a pretty quick search. Not
to mention that he was sitting with about ten people who
looked a lot like very serious Harvard professors. And, of
course, Tom.
Fuck my life, she thought, slipping past the busy hostess
and walking toward Adam. She figured that her bright red
duffle coat would attract his attention, then she’d gesticulate
for him to check his phone, and text him to please, please,
please give her five minutes of his time when dinner was over.
She figured that telling him tonight was the best option—his
interview would be over tomorrow, and he’d be able to make