"Rachel, are you free next Saturday?"
After saying goodbye to Leonard, Adam, who was sitting in the driver's seat, turned back with a smile and looked at Rachel.
Sitting in the back seat, Rachel met Adam's gaze, and her heart skipped a beat. She panicked slightly and stammered, "Y-Yeah, I'm free."
"Then would you like to come with me to buy a sailboat?"
Rachel couldn't refuse—she couldn't even pretend to hesitate.
Inside the car, Monica and Phoebe exchanged glances. Thinking of Ross, they both silently thought, *Oh no.*
Outside the car, Ross and Joey had just stepped out of a taxi and overheard the conversation. Ross instantly looked devastated.
"Aren't you two coming up?"
As Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe headed upstairs, they noticed Joey leaning against the car window, talking to Adam, while Ross stood frozen in place. Monica stopped and asked, "What are you guys doing?"
"You go ahead. We'll be right up," Joey waved them off.
Monica shrugged, grabbed Rachel—who almost tripped on the stairs—and led her upstairs.
"What's so secret that Monica and the others can't hear it?"
Adam asked with a smile.
"Dude, what are you doing?"
Joey glanced at Ross, who was still standing there dazed, and frowned. "We all know Ross likes Rachel. Sure, he hasn't had the guts to confess, and honestly, none of us think he stands a chance, but he *will* confess sooner or later. As his friend, how can you ask Rachel out now?"
"I just invited her to help me buy a sailboat—"
Adam started to explain.
But before he could finish, Ross cut in, his tone dripping with jealousy. "Just buying a sailboat? The way you three were acting tonight, you already looked like a family..."
"And what's wrong with that?"
Adam grinned. "Looking like a family is a good thing. It proves that I'm *not* pursuing Rachel. If I were, I'd be doing what you do—constantly picking fights with Leonard."
Ross's eyes widened, but he had no comeback.
Americans value freedom in relationships—if two people like each other, they don't need parental approval. But winning over the parents is still a common strategy.
Ross's hostility toward Leonard wasn't just because of Leonard's sharp tongue. The real reason was that, beneath Leonard's warm exterior, he had a fiery temper.
Ross's tendency to explode in anger was well-documented. In the original timeline, it even got him fired from the Museum of Prehistoric History.
"So, it's really just about buying a sailboat?"
Joey didn't catch Adam's sarcasm and asked excitedly, "Adam, you're *not* trying to date Rachel?"
Ross perked up and stared at Adam, hopeful.
In reality, neither of them had any right to question Adam. Ross had never confessed his feelings, and it wasn't fair to expect others to back off just because he had a crush.
Rachel's long list of ex-boyfriends certainly wouldn't agree.
And compared to Ross, Adam was a much more intimidating rival—especially with his looks and the casual way he could just buy a *boat*.
Adam glanced at Ross, let him stew for a moment, then finally said, "I never planned to pursue Rachel. It really is just about the sailboat. I actually invited Leonard first."
Ross clutched his chest and let out a long sigh of relief. Adam wouldn't flirt with someone's daughter in front of her father, right?
Adam, having studied psychology, could read Ross like a book. He rolled his eyes and thought, *Good thing I'm a decent guy. Otherwise, I'd have you crying in rhythm…*
His goal was obvious—to take advantage of the momentum and strengthen his relationship with Leonard. Bringing Rachel along was just a way to reinforce that bond.
Only someone as blinded by love as Ross or as obsessed with food as Joey would fail to see that.
Actually… Adam had underestimated them.
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The three women returned to Apartment 520.
"Monica, Phoebe, did you hear that?"
Rachel, still in shock, said incredulously, "Adam just asked me out?"
Monica rolled her eyes.
"Should I say yes or turn him down?"
Rachel's words were all over the place.
"You already said yes," Phoebe reminded her with a grin.
Rachel finally realized it and gasped. "OMG! I really did say yes! How could I? He's a *player*! And he still has Caroline!"
"You don't need to worry about Caroline."
Monica shot Rachel a knowing look and said pointedly, "Adam dates a lot of women. If you're actually considering him, you should be more concerned about Juno and Karen."
"What? No way! I'm not interested in him!"
Rachel denied it repeatedly but then hesitated. "...Who are Juno and Karen?"
"Adam's high school classmates. Two *very* impressive women," Phoebe said, gesturing with her hands. "Karen has the face of an angel and the body of a goddess—she even made *us* feel something. Juno is smart, confident, and a little playful."
"Karen's less of a threat."
Monica added, "She's got the most seductive looks and figure, but for a guy like Adam, that kind of attraction won't last. Juno, though… she's different."
Phoebe nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Juno is different."
"What do you mean, different?"
Monica thought for a moment before explaining, "She has a certain quality—it's hard to describe. But the key thing is, she and Adam *click* in a way that makes it seem like they're the same kind of person."
"They definitely have history."
Phoebe added, "Oh, and Juno goes to Harvard. Karen is in Boston, too. And remember, Adam said he's going to Harvard Med after graduation."
Rachel's expression shifted.
"You're *not* actually into Adam, are you?"
Monica looked at her in disbelief. "He's a total player! Worse than Joey—at least Joey's one-night stands are straightforward. Adam *never* gets into relationships. He's fine as a friend, but he's *not* boyfriend material."
"I *know*, I *know*."
Rachel sighed in frustration. "But he's going to be a doctor! He could end up being a *heart surgeon*, just like my dad!"
Monica rolled her eyes and gave her a brutal reality check. "You're 22. He's 19. You're three years older than him!"
From Ross's perspective, from Rachel's own standpoint, and even from a general female perspective, anyone with a shred of rationality could see that Adam wasn't a good choice for a serious relationship.
Monica had to keep reminding Rachel before she made a mistake.
"I *know*, I *know*."
Rachel kept saying the words, but her expression betrayed her thoughts.
She *understood* the logic.
But she *still* wanted to try.
Just to see what it felt like.
As long as she didn't get emotionally attached… it wouldn't be a big deal, right?