The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

“I think I’ve found another lab. To finish my study. Closer,
so I won’t have to move next year.” She pushed her hair
behind her ear and smiled at him. There was something
intrinsically enjoyable in having him next to her, so physical
and undeniable. She felt it on some primal, visceral level, the
giddy happiness that always came with his presence.
Suddenly, Tom was the last thing she wanted to discuss with
Adam. “Dinner was nice. And you were right, by the way.”
“About the pumpkin sludge?”
“No, that was amazing. About Holden. He really is
insufferable.”
“He grows on you, after a decade or so.”
“Does he?”
“Nah. Not really.”
“Poor Holden.” She huffed out a small laugh. “You weren’t
the only one who remembered, by the way.”
He glanced at her. “Remembered what?”
“Our meeting. The one in the bathroom, when I came to
interview.”
Olive thought that maybe his step faltered for a split
second. Or maybe it didn’t. Still, there was a tinge of
uncertainty in the deep breath he took.
“Did you really?”
“Yup. It just took me a while to realize that it was you.
Why didn’t you say anything?” She was so curious about what
had been going on in Adam’s head in the past few days,
weeks, years. She was starting to imagine quite a bit, but some
things . . . some things he’d have to clear up for her.
“Because you introduced yourself like we’d never met
before.” She thought maybe he was flushing a little. Maybe
not. Maybe it was impossible to tell, in the starless sky and the