The two of them chatted for quite a while.
After hanging up the phone, Adam couldn't help but smile to himself. Talking with Juno was always so "pleasant"—it felt a bit like that old saying about reflecting on yourself three times a day.
Back in the bedroom, Bianca was already fast asleep. This was the norm for a medical intern. Most of the time, the indescribable allure of romance couldn't compete with the overwhelming need to just crash and sleep like a log.
It reminded him of Howard and Bernadette from The Big Bang Theory—parents of two kids, daydreaming about a child-free getaway. They'd book a fancy suite with a massive bed, only to do nothing but sleep soundly. Before they could even finish the thought, they'd end up passed out at the table like a couple of grade-schoolers during nap time.
Thinking of Howard and Bernadette, Adam—now lying in bed—couldn't help but think of Leonard, and tomorrow's leading lady, Dr. Elizabeth Plimpton. Ten years from now, she'd be a full-on cosplay fanatic, the kind who'd crank the heat up to fifty degrees Celsius. He wondered if she already had that little quirk now. Adam kind of hoped she did. Otherwise, Leonard probably didn't stand a chance.
A genius physicist even Sheldon respected? In terms of intellect and academic chops, she'd probably never notice "half-man" Leonard. As Leonard's friend, Adam didn't want to see him constantly let down, staring at him with those sad, pouty puppy-dog eyes.
The next day.
"Adam, isn't this a bit much?" Leonard fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat as a flamboyant designer fussed over him, trying out all sorts of looks.
"Doesn't Dr. Plimpton deserve you putting in some effort?" Adam replied casually, flipping through a fashion magazine with a grin.
"Of course she does," Leonard said confidently at first, then hesitated. "But this…"
"Do you know why you came to me for help?" Adam closed the magazine and smiled. "It's because you lack confidence. Whenever you're around a beautiful woman, you shouldn't hold back or shrink away. You need to show your confident side. And to do that, first, we've got to revamp your image—bring out all your best qualities."
"Don't worry, darling. I, Tony, am the best in the business. I'll make you absolutely irresistible," said the famous fashion designer standing behind Leonard. He struck a dramatic pose with an orchid-finger gesture and winked at Leonard in the mirror.
Leonard shivered involuntarily.
"Confidence, huh?" he muttered. Still, Adam and Tony's encouragement made him sit up a little straighter.
Two hours later, Leonard stood in front of a full-length mirror, his nerdy vibe completely gone. He looked at the transformed version of himself, and a smug little smirk crept onto his face.
"I think I know what to do now."
"Perfect! Show me!" Tony pointed at him with a flourish.
"Hey, I'm Leonard" He took off his glasses, shook out his hair, leaned in with a brooding tilt, and gave Tony a sultry look, lifting his chin slightly. His voice dropped low and smooth: "You're a vision—smart, youthful, wild, and radiant. I'll pick you up at 8 tonight and give you a night you'll never forget"
"Where are we going tonight?" Tony asked, genuinely captivated, staring at Leonard with a dazed expression.
Leonard cleaned up nice—standard "fresh meat" material. With a little polish, he was actually pretty charming. No wonder a billionaire widow would later take a shine to him, even footing the bill for a shiny new centrifuge for Caltech's physics department.
"See that?" Leonard coolly slid his glasses back on and turned to Adam, beaming. "I nailed it."
Adam's mouth twitched.
"What, not good enough?" Leonard asked, deflating a little.
"No, it's great!" Adam flashed two thumbs up. "A confident man's the hottest kind. Keep that energy—you've got this."
He'd almost told Leonard to tone it down; that act was way too over-the-top. But then he reconsidered. An over-the-top Leonard was still miles better than a stammering one. Who knows? Maybe Dr. Elizabeth Plimpton was into the whole "overbearing CEO" vibe.
Worst case, Adam could duck out if things got weird. He wasn't about to stick around turning Leonard into some Casanova. Even if he had the time and skills, he wouldn't bother. Nerdy Leonard was way more likable than slick players like Barney or Joey.
New Jersey. Princeton University.
"Llsa, when you see me run my hand through my hair, give me a call, got it?" Adam instructed.
The emergency phone call—a classic, old-school move, but super effective. Plus, it was a step up from pretending you had to pee to escape.
Adam wasn't planning to linger. Once he set the stage for Leonard, he'd bounce. Then he'd go check on Paige. He was a guy, after all—no way he'd just sit around waiting for her to call him.
"No worries, boss," Lisa said, patting her chest confidently. "I've got this."
"Maybe we won't even need it," Leonard chimed in, his confidence practically bursting at the seams.
"Oh yeah?" Adam gave him an amused look. "Then how about I skip it, and you 'run into' her solo? That might actually work better."
"Uh…" Leonard froze. He wanted to say he could handle it, but his ballooning confidence shrank back to a pinpoint. He gave an awkward laugh. "Nah, let's go together. If things go well with Dr. Plimpton, you can take the call and dip."
Adam chuckled softly. Still not quite there on the confidence front.
He was suddenly really looking forward to this meet-up.
"Lisa, here's what I need you to do…" Adam leaned in and whispered something to her.
"Got it." She nodded and took off.
"What's she up to?" Leonard asked, curious.
"Nothing much," Adam said with a cryptic smile.
A historic moment like this deserved to be captured on camera—it'd be hilarious. But a photographer might make Leonard nervous, so Adam kept it on the down-low.
When Lisa flashed an "OK" sign from a distance, Adam patted Leonard's shoulder. "Let's go. Don't keep Dr. Plimpton waiting."
With that, he led Leonard toward the campus cafeteria.
Leonard knew her routine like the back of his hand. Right now, she'd be sitting by the glass window, eating while reading a book—a picturesque scene everyone at Princeton recognized.
As they approached, there she was: long hair cascading over her chest, an air of quiet intellect about her. She sat by the window, head bowed over her book, while no one dared sit nearby to interrupt. Farther off, though, the place was packed with people stealing glances at her, their eyes practically glowing with admiration. When they spotted Adam and Leonard walking over, those gazes turned hostile.
The glares didn't faze Adam one bit. Leonard, though? His legs started wobbling.
"Hey, Dr. Plimpton! I'm Adam Duncan, and this is my good friend Leonard Hofstadter. Great to meet you," Adam said, stepping up with a friendly smile.
Elizabeth Plimpton looked up from her book, her long hair slipping to the sides, revealing a youthful, striking face. She met Adam's smile with a dazzling one of her own. "Hi~"
"Y-you—hi~" Leonard stammered as Adam pulled him forward. Facing this version of Elizabeth, his "CEO confidence" vanished. The "hello" on his lips got swallowed by a nervous "hi," and he was a mess all over again.