“You can’t possibly think that skirt is gonna cover any of your ass, Lo,” Cassidy says, her lips quirking up to one side. Setting the phone down, I prop it up on my dresser so I can show my girls the golf fit I have on for the day. When I take a step back, Cassidy, Brianna, and Janelle all stare at me through our video call.
“I plan to be someone’s pan sabao this afternoon,” I continue, flipping my skirt up and flashing them. “Besides, it’s a skort with pockets on the inside.”
“Bitch, I thought you were going to give me a show!” Janelle pipes in. “A tease, as usual.”
“Always the tease.” Brianna laughs, agreeing with Janelle. Those two somehow always seem to be on each other’s side, even though we never get a chance to fully hang as a group given Janelle is still out of state withwork.
Janelle met B when we all reconnected after Cassidy attended her high school reunion at Cypress Lake High School—the one I missed and Cassidy never lets me live down. Since meeting at Shaken Tropes, they became fast friends and it feels like we were always supposed to be in each other’s lives. These women are the best kind of people, and I’m grateful to have them in my life.
“Hey, so I know Lo is heading out to play a round of golf, but when are we getting together for another girls’ night?” Cassidy asks. It’s a good question since it’s been over a month which is too long for us, plus I miss them.
“You guys can't have one without me!” Janelle shrieks via the video call.
“You could always justcome home,”I say, and she squints her eyes at me. I can almost hear the internal chastisement of,How dare you! “You know, when you’re done being Superwoman!”
“I know, babes, I know. I miss home. Hopefully soon, I can get a transfer and work closer to home. Besides, my contract isn’t over yet but it’s getting close,” Janelle’s voice doesn’t sound hopeful in the slightest. “It doesn’t mean I’m leaving the Navy, but who knows what this year has in store.”
“My love for you isn’t enough?” B jokingly says, grasping at the space where her heart beats.
“Fucking hell. Not this again. Take your lust for one another somewhere else.” I sigh, an easy smile falling over my face.
The charity tournament we’ve been talking about is finally here—well, it will be in a few months—and the planning phase is just beginning. This is my last week where I won’t be simultaneously focusedon both the event and Shaken Tropes. I haven’t had the chance to hit a golf ball in over a year, and the course is calling my name today. My fingers tingle at the thought of gripping my driver. I had the third earliest tee time, and if I don’t get a cafecito in my hands soon, I’m going to be a poor sport. My two loves, café con leche and the golf course…Well, three loves because Shaken Tropes is a dream I never planned for, but it’s easily a space that feels like home.
My cat wraps himself around my feet and I can already feel mischief brewing within him. “Hi, you little rascal. You know you’re my main man, right?” He purrs as he figure-eights around my legs.
“Give all my love to Titi’s baby, my little Waffles E. Benedict!” Cassidy shouts in a semi-baby voice.
“What’s the E stand for? And why haven’t I seen this man!?” B questions.
I tilt the phone down and listen to the sweet nothings they say to him. “Because he’s a brat, and the E stands for Eggs.”
Janelle laughs. “Your love for breakfast knows no bounds.”
“There’s no better meal than breakfast! Name one meal that’s good no matter what time of the day it is, hmm?” I point my finger at each of them through the screen but don’t let them answer. “Exactly! Anywho, love you guys, but I can’t continue to deal with peasants who aren’t as excited about seeing my ass as the old guys on the course.” The girls snicker and I blow them a smooch before disconnecting the call. Pulling my visor off the hat hook in the entryway, I pull it over my hair before opening the door. Excitement buzzes over my skin knowing the smell of dewy grass will calm my nerves.
“Carajo!”Damn!The moment the words leave my mouth, Waffles scoots his fat ass right under my feet and jets through the open door. Iswear, for a cat of his size, he’s so damn fast. He stops at the end of the driveway, eyeing me as if to dare me to chase after him. “Come here, you rat bastard!”
I run after him, needing to catch him before he makes it to the park…again. Even as I’m thinking about his potential destination, I realize it's too late. He makes it around the corner, and I speed up. I’m not made for this type of running, dammit.
“My morning was off to such a great start,” I mutter under my breath as I round the corner.
“Shit!” I whisper-shout, taking a minute to catch my breath and seeing if I can spot Waffles anywhere. Then I see him. He makes a beeline for a guy eating a late breakfast. I speed up, almost grabbing the feline before he zigzags through my grasp. He’s getting close to the unsuspecting man, so I yell at the orange troublemaker, “Don't you d—”
I watch as his wide body hops up on the bench, scaring the guy half to death. The stranger yelps as Waffles snatches what seems to be a French toast stick and continues running.This cannot be my life right now.
I yell to the man as I pass him, needing to catch up to my cat, “I am so sorry. Free coffee at Sweet Bean, on me. Just say Paloma sent you.” Thefact it was so easy for me to say that is definitely an indicator this happens more than it should. Which should be zero times. This chase should have happenedzero fucking times!
When I find my cat, he’s lying in the sunlight munching on his stolen treasure. “You little shit.” I snatch him up from the ground and walk us home.
“I hope it takes you an hour to get that syrup out of your fur,” I grumble, slamming the door shut and turning my key. I need a cocktail after dealing with him. My mother warned me not to get a cat; my schedule is too packed. I never had a pet before andthisis yet another example of why I didn’t need to own a cat in the first place. But I’ve grown attached to his chunky ass, and I wouldn’t know what to do without him.
I walk down the few steps of my porch and cross my front lawn. As luck would have it, I trip over the garden hose, nearly falling to the ground as I dance around to stop my face from meeting my flourishing landscape. Releasing a sharp breath, I finally catch my footing, not bothering to see if anyone saw my clumsiness, again. I press my hand to my chest. “Must you be so clumsy,” I chide myself as I pull open the car door and get in.I need coffee.
Making sure no one is coming down the street, I back out. My sole focus: getting a café con leche and a little sweet treat before I even think about getting to the course. The drive is quick as I pull the car into a parking spot, grab my wallet, and jog inside.
“Mami!” I shout and lean over to unlatch the lock of the counter door. As I do, I peek around the back to see if anyone else has clocked in for their shift. “Your grandcat snatched someone’s breakfast straight from their mouth, so if some random man comes in asking for a coffee…it’s on me. When are you guys going to install a drive-through?” Not hearing a response from my mom, I take matters into my own hands and grab for the coffee canister sitting on the side of the espresso maker.
As I twist it open, I breathe in the fragrant coffee beans and then spoon out the portion I need to grind. A sense of calm rushes over me at how much I love this place. It reminds me of my childhood, the happy times, at least. After grinding the beans, I rake and tamp them down before latching the attachment to the espresso machine and click the on switch. While the espresso machine works its magic, I pour whole milkinto the frother and then reach into the cabinet to pull out the sugar.
