The date was a total success. 😎
Ted's 500 bucks? Worth every penny.
If he wasn't too lazy to hit up the singles' hangout again, Ted might've even tipped Bell Duncan for setting it up.
Anna Taylor? Oh man, she's exactly his type.
Emmm.
Future Mrs. Mosby? No doubt about it!
He told Adam and the gang that when he and Anna tie the knot, he's definitely inviting Bell.
Funny how he's already forgotten that girl who played La Vie en Rose in the rain outside the hospital.
Fair enough, though.
What's this "one true love" nonsense anyway? It's just about meeting the right person at the right time and place on this crazy journey called life.
Out of billions of people, there's more than one "right" match—maybe not a ton, but definitely not just one either.
This time, Adam didn't tease Ted.
Mostly because he didn't want to remind him.
Letting that girl fade out of their world? Yeah, probably for the best.
There are plenty of jerks out there, sure.
But none quite match the Ted-and-Barney combo when it comes to playing the field.
Here's hoping Barney doesn't suddenly decide Anna Taylor is his "true love" and pull that stunt again—you know, suggesting she's with him until 40, then Ted can take over.
Yup!
Barney's version of "true love" comes with rules.
It's only "true" when she's young and gorgeous.
Once she hits 40 and the skin starts sagging, that "true love" dies in Barney's book.
That's when Ted swoops in with his sappy, emotional "true love" playbook.
It's Barney's secret little dream, tucked away in his messed-up head.
That sweet girl playing the piano in the rain to mourn her lost boyfriend? She's better off steering clear of guys like Ted and Barney.
Emmm.
Oh, and Adam too, let's be real.
---
### The Next Day
Medical Center
"Morning, Dr. Shepherd!"
Adam ran into Dr. Montgomery outside the building and flashed a big grin.
"It's Dr. Montgomery," she corrected with a forced smile. "Adam, don't get it wrong—I'm divorced from Derek now."
"Wait, seriously? You're done?"
Adam's jaw dropped.
Last time, when Dr. Montgomery washed Meredith's panties and pinned them to the surgical bulletin board, it was pretty clear she knew her husband Derek was cheating with Meredith.
But Adam figured, with her chasing him all the way from Boston to New York, she'd never give up on him no matter what.
What was that line from that drama Housing Agency? "I just made a mistake every guy in the world makes—except I'm a woman. If it's really that bad, why don't you go find someone too?"
Emmm.
"I cheat once, you cheat once, we're even, right?"
Before Dr. Montgomery showed up, it didn't count.
This time, they'd patched things up—or so it seemed. Derek sneaking around with Meredith was the real betrayal in her eyes.
And then… that was it.
Back when Derek insisted on the divorce, she'd thrown out a killer line: "Even if I'm Satan, even if I cheated, I could still be your true love. Think about it."
Talk about badass!
But even Satan can't outmatch the Hulk, apparently.
"Divorced!" Dr. Montgomery barked, then strutted into the hospital like she owned the place.
She's awesome!
She's not some reject!
She's gonna live her best life!
Just yesterday, a guy whose wife was giving birth wouldn't stop hitting on her—ignoring his wife's labor pains to tell her she looked like a big celebrity.
At lunch, he even tracked her down in the cafeteria and showered her with compliments the whole time.
"Dr. Montgomery!" Adam called after her.
"What's up?" She turned, puzzled.
"Your neck!"
Adam casually pointed to the spot where Robin had once bitten him, adding, "There's a red mark. You might wanna cover that up."
"…Thanks."
Her face froze, and she gave him an awkward smile. Tugging her collar up to hide the obvious hickey, she bolted off.
That guy from yesterday had boosted her confidence big time.
So much so that she'd dolled herself up that afternoon, channeling that celebrity vibe, hoping for more praise.
Too bad the guy's wife had the baby, and now he was all about his happy little family.
The dude who couldn't stop flirting before? Didn't even glance her way anymore.
Talk about a letdown.
So, she caved and called Mark Sloan—the ultimate homewrecker—and had him fly in overnight.
After round one, her husband showed up out of nowhere, apologizing, saying he felt awful and guilty.
Then Mark strolled out of the hotel bathroom in a towel, and her husband just… laughed.
He grabbed the champagne from her hand, took a sip, said, "I feel better now," and walked out.
That's when she knew their marriage was toast.
She signed the divorce papers right then and there.
"City folks sure know how to play," Adam muttered, chuckling as he watched her go.
His stamina meant Robin's bite marks had long faded, leaving his skin flawless.
But that hickey on Dr. Montgomery's neck? With his expertise, he clocked it at less than six hours old.
No way it was from some divorce breakup sex with her ex.
Adam's gossip radar kicked in. He mentally matched the hickey's shape and—bam—case closed.
He nailed it: Mark Sloan was the culprit!
Those kinds of marks—technically called mechanical purpura—take 4 to 7 days to fade.
But with Adam's heads-up, Dr. Montgomery, a top pediatric surgeon, had the know-how to zap it quick and keep the rumors at bay.
Adam headed into the hospital too.
And then he got hit with a full-on PDA show.
Latest chapter first released on 69 Book Bar!
"I dreamed about you last night."
"Did I bring you coffee in the dream?"
"Nope, definitely not! ~"
"I hear dates usually start with a casual coffee invite. I'm being pretty chill right now—how about dinner tonight?"
"So, we're going on a date?"
"Yup! I'll pick you up at 8!"
Down the hall, Meredith and Dr. Shepherd were flirting up a storm.
Just when Adam thought that was peak "show-off," Meredith took it to another level.
"Finn?"
Meredith, still giddy from Derek's charm, turned and spotted her vet boyfriend Finn stepping off the elevator.
"I was just in the area… Okay, fine, I came here specifically for you."
Finn was all sweet and gentle.
"I dreamed about you last night," Meredith blurted out, unsure how to handle this.
"Pfft!"
Adam's coffee sprayed everywhere.
At the same time, Cristina—standing next to Meredith—did the exact same thing.
"What was I doing?" Finn asked, beaming.
"Ahem, yeah, Meredith, what was he doing?" Cristina chimed in, echoing Adam's thoughts.
"…What's that?"
Meredith dodged the question, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the paper bag in Finn's hand.
"Coffee cake," Finn said, handing it over. "The best kind. Try it. I was thinking we could grab dinner tonight."
"Dinner…"
Meredith just stared at him, grinning like an idiot, totally zoned out.
"Dinner? Tonight? You free?"
Cristina shot her friend some frantic eye signals, worried she'd blow it.
"Oh, right, no, I'm not free tonight," Meredith snapped back to reality.
"Lunch then?"
Finn was chill as ever.
"You'd eat hospital cafeteria junk just for me?"
Meredith looked touched.
"I love junk food. So, it's a plan?" Finn gazed at her, all lovey-dovey.
"1 o'clock."
"I'll be there on the dot."
After Finn left, Meredith couldn't wipe the goofy smile off her face.
"You dreamed about both of them?" Cristina asked, dumbfounded.
"That's what I wanna know too," Adam added, stepping closer.
Meredith didn't answer, but her face said a million words—like she could write a bestseller on some women's fiction site.
"Does Finn know?" Adam couldn't resist asking.
"He does," Meredith said, still grinning. "He said we hadn't officially agreed to be exclusive yet, so he's mad but gets it. And he's not giving up."
"So what's your plan now?" Cristina asked, incredulous. "Date them both?"
"They're both great guys. I can't choose that fast," Meredith giggled. "So I thought, hey, we're surgeons! We dream up wild, impossible surgeries and make them happen. Why not try dating them both for a bit before I decide?"
"…"
Cristina was speechless.
Adam's mouth twitched as he quipped, "This has gotta be the worst time a surgeon's ever been roasted!"
(End of Chapter)