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I met Phoenix, theCooperpart of Mack & Cooper Investigations, when I started taking boxing, yoga, and fitness classes most days of the week at The Cage gym, not far from Ocean Beach, when I first arrived in the States.
Within what felt like the blink of an eye, we became friends. We got talking and caught up when we could, but after losing my parents to a drunk truck driver, I’m not much of a social drinker. Then the sassy dreadlocked beauty offered me a job as a private investigator, which I readily accepted.
I was upfront with Mack and Phoenix and told them the PI job was my life raft until I could develop a solid plan for my future.
Six months ago, I rented my father’s San Diego inner-city apartment out again to move permanently into my dad’s first property he ever purchased in Temecula wine country. I finally had a plan in place for my future.
I sold off some of my parents’ real estate portfolios, giving me the setup costs for my new venture. I donated the profit on the sale of one property to three deserving foundations, and I would donate the year’s rent from another property to four animal shelters, including Aubrey’s, my cousin’s wife.
I wanted my family’s money to do some good in this world. It is my way of honoring them and building my new life.
I am left financially with enough properties rented out to ensure a healthy monthly income—regardless of my new venture’s success, but I am proud of what I have achieved. If my business isn’t a success, I know I would have given it my best shot.
“September”by Earth, Wind and Fire starts playing, and I can’t help swaying my hips to the song that always makes me feel happy and alive. It would have to be my favorite by the band.
I get lost in the song, singing while I look around.
Peace has a great vibe, with bright murals painting the walls in a retro style. The fridges have jars of homemade juices in them. Leather sofas and antique wooden tables and chairs make the place feel inviting and cozy, while the booths give privacy.
The place is a mix of beach and retro with Christmas decorations reminding me it’s thirteen days until Christmas Day.
I turn the volume up on my phone because the lyrics are addictive and daydream of a time machine to take me back to the ’70s. It would be pure magic.
My singing game is not strong, but nobody pays to hear me sing.
ZAP!
A sharp spark bites the bare skin on my shoulder.
Ow.
Who knew my day was about to take the turn that it did?
Two
MEET-CUTE
Tucker
I am in no hurry to put my coffee orders in once entering Peace Café because a delicious ass is swaying while its owner sings louder than she probably realizes in an unforgiving tone. However, her ass has a groove, which makes up for her dreadful verbal assault on the lyrics of a much-loved classic.
Crossing my arms, I lean against the wall close to where she’s unknowingly performing to a small audience of late-lunch patrons. I’m enjoying the view. She looks around five-two, maybe five-three, taking her heeled black boots that reach her calves out of the equation.
She’s dressed in painted-on black jeans, molding her round butt, which looks like it sees the light of a gym several times a week for butt work and leg work, teamed with a white sleeveless shirt, which shows off toned arms with definition and a wide, brown leather belt.
Her raven-black hair is up in a high ponytail, swinging as she gently wobbles her head to the music while her hips and legs come alive and dance on the spot, and her bubble butt sways with intent. What she lacks in singing ability, she makes up for with groove.
I can only see her back, but my wild imagination is selling me on her being a natural beauty.
I assume her eyes are closed, and the volume way up as her singing gets louder, or she would notice the two guys hamming it up behind the counter dancing to the delight of the seated customers.
Keanu catches my eye and waggles his eyebrows at my obvious amusement while he swings his hips and softly adds his talented vocals, and Levi joins in, not to upstage the main act.
The guy in the back kitchen area adds his voice to the mix. Little Miss Tone-deaf has no idea what is happening around her, which only adds to the assumption she has her eyes shut while she fully commits to enjoying the song.
Her singing is off-key, but who am I to judge. Songs are to enjoy, and she is in her cone of silence, seemingly without a care in the world, soaking up the lyrics, passing the time, feeling good about life at this moment, singing like nobody is listening. And that’s all any songwriter wants, is to have their words sung out loud and enjoyed by all voices.
I look around the café at the customers—primarily female—and they are smiling, waving their arms in the air, but I think more in favor of the two studs performing behind the counter. These two are amping up the dance moves now with the “badeyas” (you get my drift, and if you don’t, then YouTube “September”) while Keanu’s dancing like Elaine from Seinfeld did to “Shining Star,” which, funnily enough, is an Earth, Wind and Fire song.
