City Love (NEW 2024 - Black Love Story)

Fifteen

Leon's POV:
Today was the last day of going to these viewings. I finally made a decision on the space I wanted.
Chris walked me through the empty gym space, his voice echoing against the bare walls. "This gym is yours once you sign on the dotted line," he said, holding out the paperwork. "Now, about the costs—you'll be looking at $4,500 a month, plus utilities. That covers rent, and some initial renovations if you need them."

I nodded, running my hand over the polished counter in what would soon be the reception area. The space had potential—lots of it—but right now, it was just an empty shell. I could already picture the place buzzing with activity, filled with state-of-the-art equipment, and a big, bold logo on the wall that Tanya would design.

"You got anything else for me?" I asked, trying to sound as calm as possible while my mind raced with everything that still needed to be done.

"Just the signatures here, here, and here," Chris said, pointing out the spots on the document.

I hesitated for a split second, thinking about my brother Marcus. I wanted to call him, tell him that I was making real moves, but there was still so much left to do. The gym wasn't even open to the public yet. No staff, no logo, no equipment—just a dream starting to take shape.

Instead, I focused on the present. "I'll get this back to you ASAP," I said, tucking the papers under my arm.

Chris smiled. "No rush. But don't keep it too long. This space is a hot commodity."

I nodded, walking out of the gym with the papers in hand. Just as I stepped outside, my phone buzzed—it was Darnell, letting me know he'd be stopping by the gym later to check out the space. I shot him a quick reply, telling him to come through.

As I put my phone back in my pocket, I decided against calling Marcus for now. There was still a mountain of work to climb before I could consider it a done deal.

Latanya's POV:
My phone buzzed just as I was rummaging through the Zara bags scattered across my bed. My heart skipped a beat—I'd been waiting all weekend for this email. I quickly swiped the screen, my eyes racing over the message.

Subject: Congratulations on Your New Position!

"Looks like I start tomorrow," Excitement and nerves hit me all at once. I grabbed a black blouse and tailored trousers from the bed, holding them up to the mirror. "This'll do," I said, imagining my first day. Then, I grabbed my phone and quickly typed a message to Leon.

Tanya: Hey, remember you said I could drive your car when I start my new job? Well, tomorrow's the day. 😉

His reply came almost instantly.

Leon: I remember x. I'll swing by in the morning, but I'm coming along because I need my ride for the day. I'll pick you up after work too.

Tanya: Works for me. See you in the morning.  8am🥳

I grinned, tossing my phone onto the bed. Everything was finally coming together—new job, Leon... it all felt right. I laid out my outfit for tomorrow.

Darnell's POV:
I strolled into the soon-to-be gym, taking in the space with an amused grin. "Damn, this place is gonna need some serious work," I joked, spotting Leon and Chris huddled over the paperwork.

"Glad you could make it, man," Leon said, waving me over.

"Of course, bro. Couldn't let you take this big step without me giving you a hard time," I laughed, giving Leon a pat on the back. "But for real, this spot's got potential. You sure you're ready for this?"

Leon just shrugged, still holding the paperwork. "I've got to be, right?"

I shook my head, chuckling. "Man, you've always had something to prove. I respect it. Just don't go biting off more than you can chew."

"Appreciate the confidence," Leon shot back, his voice dry, making Chris laugh.

I turned to Chris, eyeing him. "You sure you ain't overcharging my boy here? You know he's got a habit of jumping into stuff headfirst."

Chris smirked, "I'm just the messenger. The numbers are the numbers."

"Yeah, yeah," I responded, "Just remember, I'm watching you."

Leon rolled his eyes. "You act like I don't know what I'm doing."

"Nah, I know you do. I'm just here to make sure you don't mess it up. That's what big brothers are for, right?" I grinned.

Leon couldn't help but laugh. "Man, you're lucky I need your help with all this."

I threw up my hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just doing what I can. Besides, you know I'm just here to clown on you a bit."

Chris cut in, "If you two are done, we can wrap this up and let Leon get on with making his dream a reality."

I shot Leon a look. "You hear that? He thinks we're just joking around."

"Yeah, that's because we are," Leon laughed. "Alright, let's finish this up."

Trey's POV:
I was browsing through the sneaker store when I spotted the perfect pair. "These are it," I muttered, pulling them off the shelf. Gotta look 10–10 for my date with Shanay.

As I headed to checkout, I nearly bumped into another guy eyeing the same sneakers. "My bad, bro," I said, stepping aside.

"No worries," the guy said, giving me a nod. "Those are fire, man. You copping?"

"Yeah, gotta look good for this date," I said with a nod.

The guy raised his eyebrows. "I hear you. Can't go wrong with those."

My phone rang. I glanced at the screen—Shanay. "Hey Shanay, wassup?"

"Hey, I might be finishing work a little late. Just wanted to let you know," she said.

"No problem," I said, noticing the guy next to me listening. "Shanay?" The guy raised an eyebrow at the name.

"Yeah, Shanay," I said, oblivious to the guy's reaction. I responded back on the phone "Take your time. I gotchu, I'll be ready when you are."

"Thanks, Trey. See you later," she said before hanging up.
The guy walked off continuing with his search for sneakers.
I paid for the sneakers and pocketed my phone, unaware that the guy next to me was trying to place Shanay's name. I was too focused on my date to notice. I just carried on with my day.

Alesha's POV:
I pulled up in front of Shanay's workplace, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel as I waited. Just finished my shift and now heading to help Tanya get ready for work tomorrow.

"Girl, get in!" I called as Shanay appeared, looking a bit frazzled but relieved to see me. She tossed her bag and her outfit for her date into the backseat and hopped in. Shanay wanted to get ready for her date at Latanya's tomorrow.

"Thanks for the ride, Al. I was about to collapse," Shanay sighed, making me laugh.

"Again?!! You need a drink, that's what you need," I joked as I pulled away from the curb.

Shanay rolled her eyes. "I've got a date tomorrow. Can't be hungover."

"Oouu, Trey, right?" I teased, glancing at her with a grin. "How's that going?"

Shanay smiled. "It's good. He's sweet. But let's talk about you and Clarence. Amazing or no?"

I grinned. "It was amazing. We needed that time away. Now it's back to reality. He's already back at work, and I'm about to be swamped too."

"Yeah, I know how that is," Shanay said, nodding. "But I'm glad you guys went Cabo. Y'all's trip was long overdue!"

As we pulled up to Tanya's apartment, I parked and turned to Shanay. "Ready to help Tanya pick out her outfit? There's no way she's wearing that blouse on the first day, especially if Leon's gonna see her tomorrow morning."

Shanay laughed. "She bought a nice work dress and she wants to wear A BLOUSE?! Yeah, no. Let's go save the day."

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