Page 302 - The Love Hypothesis

“Good,” he replied with a half smile, and she had a weird feeling that

much like her, he wasn’t lying. Her heart picked up even more.
“What about Chinese?” Holden interjected. “Everyone like Chinese
here?”

“I’m cool with Chinese,” Malcolm muttered, though he didn’t seem
enthusiastic at the idea of a double date. Likely because he didn’t want to sit

across from Adam for an entire meal and relive the trauma of his graduate
advisory committee meetings.

“Olive?”
“Um . . . I like Chinese.”

“Perfect. So does Adam, so—”
“I’m not having dinner out,” Adam said.
Holden frowned. “Why?”

“I have better things to do.”
“Like what? Olive’s coming, too.”

“Leave Olive alone. She’s tired, and we’re busy.”
“I have access to your Google Calendar, asshole. You’re not busy. If you

don’t want to hang out with me, you can just be honest.”
“I don’t want to hang out with you.”

“You little shit. After the week we just had. And on my birthday.”
Adam recoiled slightly. “What? It’s not your birthday.”
“Yes, it is.”

“Your birthday is April tenth.”
“Is it, though?”

Adam closed his eyes, scratching his forehead. “Holden, we’ve talked
daily for the past twenty-five years, and I have been to at least five Power

Rangers–themed birthday parties of yours. The last one was when you
turned seventeen.”

Malcolm attempted to cover his laugh with a cough.
“I know when your birthday is.”
“You always had it wrong, I was just too nice to tell you.” He clasped

Adam’s shoulder. “So, Chinese to celebrate the blessing of my birth?”