Love Solutions (aka "Singles Terminal")
In the end, the gang decided to roll up together.
"Please come in! You must be Mr. Ted Mosby… Wait, PJ, what are you doing here?"
Inside the office, a guy who looked exactly like Adam's dad, Bob, stood up to greet Ted. But when he spotted Adam, he made a beeline over and wrapped him in a big, enthusiastic hug.
"Uncle Bell, I've been going by Adam for ages now," Adam said with a helpless grin.
"Why'd you change your name?!" Bell Duncan let go, frowning. "Your grandpa gave you that name—PJ's awesome!"
"Isn't 'Adam' cool too? You know, Son of God and all that," Adam quipped.
"Haha!" Bell burst out laughing. Then his eyes swept over Matthew and Lily, and he blinked in surprise. "Lily?"
"Big Bear!" Lily sighed, waving half-heartedly.
"You're friends with Adam?" Bell's eyes widened. "What a coincidence!"
"Yup, small world," Lily said with a wry smile. "Me, Adam, and Ted—we're all tight. Oh, and this is my fiancé, Matthew."
"You're engaged?" Bell gave Matthew a once-over and nodded. "Nice, nice. Way more mature and steady than Scooter."
Matthew flashed a grin.
"Uncle Bell, weren't you in Chicago before?" Adam asked, curious. "When'd you move to New York? And what's with the whole 'Love Solutions' matchmaker gig?"
"Yeah, what happened to Ellen Pierce?" Ted finally chimed in. "Isn't this her company?"
"Just these past couple days," Bell said, gesturing for everyone to sit. "Our company bought out Love Solutions. We're usually in meat and textiles, but the board's geniuses decided we need to 'diversify.' So, here I am."
"Oh, got it," Adam said with a knowing smirk.
It's a classic big-company trap. Hit a growth ceiling, and suddenly they want to be bigger, broader, everything. They dabble in all kinds of businesses, dreaming of monopolizing society itself.
Then the board members can play kingpins, doing whatever they want.
Even Batman's in on it.
Bruce Wayne's family empire practically owns Gotham—still not enough, so he suits up as the Dark Knight, ruling the city's underbelly too, going for the full black-and-white takeover.
Arkham Asylum? Who knows how many Wayne-family haters got tossed in there, labeled "crazy" or "unhinged."
When Batman growls, "My Gotham!"—he's not kidding around. 😏
Bell's company was clearly taking its first step down that road.
He'd mocked the board's "genius" plan, but if it worked? Maybe it was genius.
"Did you find Ted's soulmate?" Lily asked, shaking off the awkwardness.
"Yup," Bell said, handing Ted a file. "Here she is—your perfect match."
Lily snatched it instantly.
"Hold up—500 bucks first," Bell said, glancing at Adam. "Family or not, I've gotta keep the books straight. I'm just a working stiff here."
"Fair enough," Adam nodded.
"Nah, I'll pass," Ted said, waving it off. "Last time you matched me with someone 'perfect,' she was already married."
"This time's different," Bell pitched. "Take a look—guaranteed satisfaction."
"Go for it," Adam grinned. "If you're not happy, I'll cover the cost."
"Let me see! Wow, she's gorgeous!" Lily yanked the file open, and Matthew leaned in as they started reading aloud. "She loves dogs, spent a whole summer in Northern California, plays bass guitar, loves crossword puzzles, and enjoys old movies."
"OMG, Ted, she's your type!" Matthew blurted out.
As Ted's best bud since college, he knew exactly what Ted's dream girl was like.
Ted's eyes were practically sparkling. ✨
"Wait, there's more!" Lily squealed. "Her favorite food's lasagna, she plays tennis, her favorite book's Love in the Time of Cholera, and she wants two kids—a boy and a girl!"
"A boy and a girl!!!" Matthew fist-pumped, shouting.
"Okay, set it up!" Ted couldn't hold back anymore. He jumped up, whipped out his credit card, and looked at Bell. "You take credit, right?"
Having a son and a daughter? That was his ultimate partner goal.
"Of course," Bell said, pulling out a POS machine.
One swipe later—bam—500 bucks in the bank. The profit margin here was insane.
Watching Ted actually pay up, Bell thought maybe the board's plan wasn't so nuts after all.
New York's single-and-ready crowd? Their money was too easy to snag! 💰
Once the payment cleared, Bell grinned. "Tomorrow night, 8 PM, at…"
"Old Friends Bar," Adam cut in.
"Old Friends Bar?" Bell blinked.
"It's my place," Adam said with a smile. "Perfect spot for us to check out Ted's 'perfect match.' Uncle, you should swing by sometime too."
"You've got a bar now?" Bell marveled. "You really are the pride of the Duncan family! Me, I'm too old for the wild life anymore."
"You're definitely different from the old days," Adam teased.
Back in the day, Bell was all leather jackets, chains, earrings—dancing like he owned the floor, oozing swagger.
Emmm.
He and Adam's dad, Bob, were cut from the same cloth.
Yup, Bob could dance too—ballet in his past, square dancing in his prime. When he got going, it was… something else.
Adam used to wonder how his mom ever fell for him.
But then again, it made sense.
His mom, Amy, loved the spotlight—dreamed of being a star. She could bust a move with the best of them.
As their kid, Adam often pulled the classic "please stop" face to keep his parents from showing off their dance moves in front of him. 😅
"Alright, Old Friends Bar it is," Bell said with a laugh. "Tomorrow, 8 PM sharp—don't be late."
"Don't worry, we won't let him!" Matthew and Lily said, buzzing with excitement.
As Ted's besties, they'd been sweating his love life forever. Now, with a match this spot-on, they were more hyped than he was.
"I won't be late," Ted promised.
Truth be told, he'd go meet her right now if he could.
But to show up at his best, he'd hold off—skip work tomorrow afternoon, get a haircut, change outfits, and roll up early. No way he'd be tardy.
Good thing he was a project lead now—his schedule was flexible.
"Ted, check her out—she's stunning," Lily said, handing him the file.
Ted took a deep breath, flipped it open, and there she was: a drop-dead gorgeous woman. He couldn't help but mutter her name. "Anna Taylor."
(Chapter End)