„Look, there’s a Starbucks,“ Eve said, pointing at the other street side, as they left the building. 

Justin nodded and put on his navigator sunglasses. There was a black GMC Yukon parking in front of the building. The driver left the car and opened the backseat door, as he saw Justin coming closer. Justin shook his head. He was glad, that Eve didn’t notice. The driver immediately understood, closed the door and returned into the car. 

Justin felt uncomfortable, as they entered the coffee shop. Luckily the place wasn’t crowded. 

„What do you drink?“ Eve asked, standing in line. 

„Caramel Macchiato,“ he answered, standing next to her. 

„Uh, we have the same taste,“ she replied, giving him a wink. 

Justin smiled. Something about her fascinated him. She was easy to talk to. But mostly he enjoyed the fact, that she had absolutely no idea who he was. Usually people used to recognize his face immediately, especially if they were in his age, like Eve. 

With their coffee cups in their hands both sat down at a free table. Eve looked at him and smiled.

„Why you’re keeping your sunglasses on?“ she wanted to know. 

„I have very sensitive eyes,“ he lied. 

She smirked and took a sip. 

„So? Do you have further job interviews?“ he asked, also taking a sip.

„No. I don’t. But I’m running out of time.“ 

„Means?“ 

„I have a work visa. But if I don’t work, I need to go back home.“

„Which is…?“ 

„Germany.“ 

„Oh. Ya. I should have known that. Your accent.“ 

„Yes. Hard to get rid of that accent.“ 

„Does it mean you’re out of work at present?“ 

„No, I’m not. I’m working for a German company. My boss is getting relocated to our German headquarter in few weeks. But I don’t wanna go back with him. My life is here now. I have friends, a beautiful apartment downtown…“

„And a boyfriend…“ he finished her sentence. 

Eve chuckled. 

„Not really.“ she replied. 

„Not really?“ 

„I go on dates sometimes, but I didn’t find anyone, I’m truly interested in so far,“ she explained.  „What about you?“ 

Justin raised his left hand, showing his wedding ring. 

„Married, hm?“

„I am.“ 

„I hope your wife doesn’t mind you’re drinking coffee with a stranger.“ 

He smiled.

„I don’t think so.“ 

Eve raised her eyebrows.

„You’re struggling?“ 

„I don’t wanna talk about it.“

She nodded. 

„Then tell me what you do for living, Justin.“ 

He wasn’t prepared for that question and turned a little uneasy. 

„As my best friend, I’m in the entertainment industry,“ he answered. 

„Oh, really? What exactly are you doing?“ she continued asking. 

„A little bit of everything, I would say.“

„You don’t wanna talk about it, either, hm?“ she noticed. 

Justin smiled. 

„Not really, to be honest.“

She smiled back. 

„You know what?“ he said next, changing the subject.

„What?“ 

„My shirt smells like you.“ 

Eve laughed. 

„I was nervous, but not sweaty!“ 

„I mean your perfume, Eve. It smells nice.“ 

„I relieved hearing that.“

In the next moment an employee joined them at their table. It was a woman in her thirties, smiling shyly. 

„Please excuse me, Justin. But… may I have a picture with you?“ she asked politely. 

Justin smiled back at her and nodded. The woman grabbed her phone out of her pocket. Then she bent down to Justin and made a selfie. 

„Thank you so, so much. You made my day, Justin,“ she said and left them alone in the next moment. 

Eve stared at him like seeing a ghost.

„What.Was.That?“ she stammered. 

Justin looked at her, hating the fact that he got busted so quickly. 

„A fan, I suppose,“ he said quietly. 

„A fan?“ Eve repeated, still processing hard. „You have… fans?!“

„I do. A lot,“ he confessed. 

She continued staring at him.

„Put the glasses off,“ she ordered.

Justin sighed and did what she said. She bent her body towards him, giving him a deeper look. Then she suddenly understood. 

„Oh my fucking goodness…“ she talked to herself. 

Justin raised his eyebrows.

„I’m such an idiot…“ she continued talking. 

„I don’t think so,“ Justin replied. 

Eve grabbed her face with both hands. 

„It’s not like I didn’t see all your movies… this is so embarrassing…“ 

Justin smirked. 

„Come on, it’s not. I don’t expect everyone recognizing my face.“ 

„Of course you do! You’re Justin Timberlake, for god’s sake!“ 

Justin cleared his throat. 

„Hey, please relax. I don’t wanna have any further attention here.“ 

„I forced Justin Timberlake giving me his shirt… that’s a new level of awkwardness…“ 

He smiled at her, somehow enjoying her embarrassment. 

„You won’t believe it, but I’m still a human being.“ 

She shook her head.

„You’re not.“ 

He still smiled. 

„Look, um. I enjoyed this. But I have to go now, before…“ 

„Ya. I understand,“ Eve interrupted him.

He cracked another smile and stood up. 

„Thank you for the coffee, Eve.“ 

„Thank you for your shirt, Justin.“ 

Eve watched him leaving the coffee shop and crossing the street through the pane. His driver noticed him, left the car and opened the backseat door. Seconds later Justin disappeared inside. Eve shook her head, still being in shock.

„Nobody. Absolutely nobody will believe that story,“ she was thinking. 

Hey, man. You miss me already?“ JC said, answering his phone. 

„I wanted to know how the job interview was,“ Justin replied. 

JC frowned. 

„Why you care?“ 

„I’m sitting in the car on my way home, being bored. So you gonna tell me or not?“ 

JC sighed. 

„It was a disaster,“ he complained.

„Why?“

„That girl came completely unprepared, T. It was unbelievable. She had no idea who I am.“ 

„Really? It offended your ego, that she didn’t know who you were?“ 

„It’s not like I expected her recognizing my face. But she should at least made the effort googling my name, if she was interested working for me. Don’t you think?“ 

„That’s the reason you’re not hiring her?“ 

„Not only. She was also pretty sassy and her salary expectation was outrageous.“

Justin scoffed.

„You’ll never find an assistant, if you don’t change your attitude, man.“ 

„What the supposed to mean?“ 

„I bet you’ve been grumpy.“ 

„I wasn’t grumpy!“ 

„Her attitude was surely just a reflection of yours.“ 

„Are you saying I screwed things up, not her?“ 

„Possible.“

JC sighed once again. 

„Fine. I was… stern. Maybe too stern. But…“

„You’re scaring people off with your behavior, dude,“ Justin interrupted his friend. „Why is it so hard for you acting openminded and kind for a change?“ 

„I am who I am, T.“ 

„No. This is not who you are. This is who you became after…“ 

„Stop that shit,“ JC warned him. „I don’t wanna talk about it.“ 

„Fine. Then don’t. But I highly recommend rethinking your decision about that girl.“ 

„Why?“ 

„Because very obviously you’ve been driven by your negative emotions again.“