Long Weekend In Miami (It Can Turn Your World Around)

Miami Ink

At the workstation behind the counter of his tattoo shop Ami James was working on a Japanese dragon for a customer who was coming in later that day. It was a large back piece and very intricate, it required a lot of quiet concentration and sometimes that was in short supply; especially when all the guys were in making jokes and noise. Up to now things were quiet. In every respect. It was just after ten am and the shop was enjoying a quiet lull, but in a couple of hours from now the place would be buzzing.

Ami co-owned the South Beach based shop 'Love/Hate Tattoos' formerly known as '305 Ink' with friend Chris Núñez after going into business together back in '04. After the hype and interest surrounding the shop and the other great artists that worked there - Chris Garver, highly considered to be one of the best tattoo masters ever, the five-foot wonder Darren Brass, and up until a year ago the inimitable Kat Von D - one year after opening, the shop became the subject of a reality TV show on the TLC and Discovery channels. 'Miami Ink' became an overnight success and boosted channel ratings, whilst the shop's clientele grew bigger than ever. People, famous and otherwise, came from opposite ends of the States just to get tattooed by the guys. Following the success of the shop, Ami and Chris started up their own Miami-based clothing company, 'DeVille USA' and a year ago opened up a bar/nightclub 'Love/Hate' on Miami Beach. Business really was that good.

'Darren, you comin' along tonight, man?' Ami asked as he sketched.

Darren was working on a memorial tattoo on a customer's shoulder and didn't look up as he inked. 'What's that?'

'Shayne's gig at Love/Hate,' Ami reminded.

'Yeah, yeah, right. I'll be there.'

'Bringin' Talea?'

'I mentioned it,' Darren said. Talea was his wife. 'I think she'll wanna come. Depends if we can find a babysitter.'

'Nice. Garver said he was up for itand Yoji's droppin' by with Bridgette,' said Ami. Yoji Harada was the shop's Japanese apprentice.

'Should be a good time. I'm lookin' forward to meetin' this girl. You talk about her often enough,' Darren said, wiping down the young woman's shoulder.

Ami lifted his head and turned to smile in Darren's direction. 'You understand it's not like I'm obsessed with her or anything.'

Just then the shop door opened and Chris Núñez came inside, bringing in the sounds of the street with him. Of French Cuban descent Chris was a party animal, his love of the South Beach nightlife and women, was only just exceeded by his love for tattooing.

'Who we obsessed with?' he asked, taking off his RayBans and tucking them into the neck of his DeVille shirt. He closed the door and once again it was just the faint buzzing of the needles.

Ami swung round in his seat. 'You can hear through glass now?'

'We all gotta super power,' Chris replied. 'So who we obsessing over?'

'This chick Ami knows. Shayne something-or-other,' Darren filled him in.

'The hot chick with the unisex name,' Chris nodded, stepping up behind the counter. 'The gig tonight. Gotcha.'

'She's an old friend,' Ami said, knowing exactly what was coming next.

'Who you obsess over,' Darren added. 'Just admit it, brah.'

'Would you let it go?' sighed Ami. But then he chuckled goodnaturedly. 'I do not obsess over her. She's like my kid sister.'

'Who you obsess over,' insisted Darren.

'That's wrong on so many levels,' Chris said. He picked up the appointment book and turned to today's date. 'Even I got principles.'

'Just,' added Darren.

'Okay, knuckleheads, knock it off,' Ami cut in. 'How many times do I gotta tell you? She's - '

'Yeah, yeah. Denial is a powerful tool, my friend,' said Darren. 'You already told us the heart-warming tale of how she turned you down the one time you asked her out. That's gotta sting.'

Chris began to chuckle as he scanned his day's work. He remembered the story well. Garver had filled him in on all the bits Ami had conveniently left out. 'You either got it or you haven't,' he mused.

'He hasn't,' said Darren, making even his customer smile.

'If there wasn't a young lady in your chair, I'd be giving you the finger right about now,' Ami told Darren. He went back to his drawing.

'Truth hurts, dude,' chuckled Darren.

'So exactly how hot is this heartbreaker?' Chris asked, slamming the book closed and turning around to look at Ami.

Ami arched a brow at his business partner. 'Best buds or not, don't even go there.'

'What?' laughed Chris, shrugging his shoulders.

'She has class,' stated Ami, not feeling the need to elaborate any further than that.

'Which is why she turned you down,' put in Darren making Chris laugh further.

The comment warranted a pointed look from Ami, but at least he was smiling. 'Just get on with your work, Short Stuff. And as for you, Gomez,' he turned back to Chris, 'even if she did show the remotest of interest in a player such as yourself I'd be sure to point her in the opposite direction.'

'I resent that,' deadpanned Chris. He came around the counter and made his way through to the back of the shop to prepare for the day. 'She might appreciate a little of the ol' Núñez charm.'

'She'd have you for breakfast,' Ami called after him.

'I can deal with that. I like my women upfront.'

Ami watched Chris disappear into the back room. 'Yo, you ain't dealin' with anythin', y'hear me, brotha? She's off limits to the likes of you.'

'We'll see,' came Chris's reply.

'Looks like you gotta rival for her affections, Ami,' chuckled Darren. 'Best keep an eye on him.'

Ami was going to do exactly that. Chris may well be one of his oldest and best friends, but since he had split with his long-term girlfriend three years earlier, he hadn't been in another relationship; choosing to party and play the field. Ami wasn't shy himself when it came to women or partying, but he was nowhere near as bad as Núñez. The guy loved the party circuit in and around South Beach, thrived on it. The label 'party animal' could have been designed with him in mind. But his late-night drinking often had the friends crossing swords, more so when Chris would turn up late for work the day after a session. Being a co-owner of the shop, his laid-back attitude didn't always go down well with Ami.

Nor did the idea of him trying to muscle in on Shayne.

While it was true that there had been that one time Ami asked her out and she had turned him down, they had remained close friends and even though the girl drove him crazy on so many levels, Ami had become somewhat protective of her over the years. He'd helped her through some tough times. And she'd had her fare share.

He'd have to keep an eye on Núñez, though. Shayne could handle herself and although she had her head screwed on the right way, especially when it came to guys, he knew how persuasive Dirty Gomez could be.

After all, he hadn't given his buddy the nickname because it sounded cool.

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COPYRIGHT. Demi Mack.