"Oh my god, it's so good to see you!" Shawn says when we pull apart. "Then again,I feel like I just saw you," he said motioning to the giant billboard.
"Ah, right? It's weird, I know," I laugh. My cheeks are burning from smiling so much.
"It's not weird at all, you, you did it," he motioned to my scrubs.
"Neurosurgeon and model, a classic cliche..." I was shrugging.
"Camila, if you looked that up in the dictionary, you would be the farthest thing from the definition of cliche," he grinned. "Let me get you something to eat..please, it's the least I can do," he says wincing at my coffee soaked breakfast now on the sidewalk.
"It's not your fault, I'm running on like.. 4 hours of sleep, I just needed something to hold me over.." I say.
"Oh, right, I'm sorry.. I.. I'm only in town until tomorrow... so.." he begins but I wave him off.
"No worries, I've got time," I smiled and we walked to a bookshop that also, happens to sell coffee. I don't tell him this is one of my favorite places, and instead, order my usual, which he pays for, and I get him coffee, which I pay for. His order is still the same. An iced Americano.
We take a seat and with him now sitting across from me, it feels real now. He's actually here, in the flesh. He's older now, but he still looks the same to me in so many ways.
"So, do you live here?" I ask, it's a valid question. Maybe he's been here for years and this is just the first time we've run into each other?
"No, no, only here until tomorrow, I was here for a book signing.."
"Here, where?" I ask and then he points to a poster in the book shop with his face on it. He's smiling, in a suit, his arms are folded and in front is a book. The title read "What's it worth?"
"You wrote a book?" I hope my astonishment isn't insulting but he laughs.
"Yeah.. it's.. on the New York Times Best Seller List.." he laughed.
"What's.. it about?" I couldn't glean much meaning from the title.
"Well, I ended up taking a long hard look at the world of business ethics in general and while I loved what I did and the CEO world gave me everything, I lost myself along the way. Business is cut throat, every man or woman for themselves. You do whatever it takes to make a profit, even if it means screwing over your customers and the people who are the reason for you success. I quit the company I worked for an ended up traveling all across the United States and I met with people who had started businesses, on their own, with little capital and nothing but a dream. Most of them were family business and they treated their customers, like family. I started wondering why big companies couldn't do the same. So, I wrote this book, which is basically about business ethics and how you can still gain the world and not lose your soul so to speak, even if you do want to be successful. I'm a professor at UC Berkeley now, actually, in the business department."
"Wow, that's.. honestly, that's... impressive!" I couldn't think of what else to say other than, it was impressive.
"Me? Not as impressive as you... you are.. a neurosurgeon..." he laughs and I nod. He's not wrong. I'm aware I'm impressive and yet it doesn't seem to phase him. He still looks at me the same.
"Professor Mendes has a nice ring to it..." I say and speaking of ring, I can't help but notice there's no ring on this finger.
"Thanks. So.. the billboard...?"
"Ah, yes, the billboard. I didn't expect it to be so big and it's only been up for a week, so, it's... yep.. it's there.." I say awkwardly. I'm unsure of what to say now. All other topics of conversation are too close to the elephant in the room that is our ill-fated prior relationship.
