"Behind Closed Doors"

The Hustle

Jordan's POV:

Chapter 39:

Jordan wiped the sweat from his forehead as he leaned over the hood of the car, tightening the bolts on the engine he had been working on all afternoon. It was his first official job at the garage he had rented, and though the place was still coming together, the feeling of doing what he loved every day was unbeatable. This was what he had been working toward—his dream of running his own custom auto shop was finally coming to life.

The shop was small, tucked in a corner of the city where people knew cars and appreciated good work. The walls were still bare, the shelves not fully stocked, but Jordan had already started getting clients. Word spread fast in neighborhoods like his—people respected quality, and Jordan's reputation as a skilled mechanic was earning him more business than he had expected this early on.

Isaiah had been helping him handle the logistics—everything from the permits to the business planning—but the hands-on work, the part that involved getting under the hood, that was all Jordan. He loved it. The satisfaction of taking a broken car and turning it into something that ran better than new was a feeling he couldn't describe. It was more than just a job—it was a passion.

As he tightened the final bolt, Jordan stood up and stepped back, wiping his hands on a rag. The engine purred to life as he turned the key, the smooth rumble bringing a grin to his face. He knew his client was going to be thrilled with the results.

Just as he was finishing up, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, seeing a message from Isaiah.

Isaiah: How's the shop lookin'? Need me to come by later?

Jordan quickly typed back.

Jordan: It's lookin' good, bro. Got a couple of jobs lined up already.

Isaiah's reply came instantly.

Isaiah: That's what's up! Proud of you, man. You're making it happen.

Jordan smiled to himself, feeling the weight of his brother's pride. Isaiah had always been the planner, the one who kept things in line, and knowing that he supported Jordan's vision made all the hard work worth it.

As Jordan finished up for the day, he stepped outside the shop, taking a deep breath of the cool evening air. The city was buzzing with life, the hum of cars and people moving through the streets. He looked up at the sign above his shop—Jordan's Custom Auto—and felt a swell of pride in his chest.

This was just the beginning.

Later that night, Jordan sat on his apartment balcony, sipping a beer as he looked out at the city lights. The day had been long but rewarding, and for the first time in a while, he felt like things were finally falling into place. The shop was up and running, Kayla was thriving at design school, and Isaiah was killing it with his business courses. Everything was moving forward.

As he leaned back in his chair, his phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from Kayla.

Kayla: How's the shop going? You killing it over there?

Jordan grinned, quickly typing back.

Jordan: You know it! It's busy, but I'm lovin' it. How's school?

Kayla's response came almost immediately.

Kayla: It's amazing! I just finished my first assignment, and I'm already feeling more inspired than ever.

Jordan smiled, feeling a surge of pride for his sister. She had come so far, and now she was chasing her dreams just like he was. It felt like they were all growing together, each of them finding their path and building something real.

He took another sip of his beer, letting the cool night air wash over him as he thought about the future. The shop was just getting started, but Jordan had big plans. He wanted to expand, to hire more mechanics, to turn the place into something that could serve the entire community. There was potential here—he could feel it.

But for now, he was content with where things were. The hustle was real, but so was the reward. Jordan was building something with his own two hands, something that would last.

And that was all he had ever wanted.

The next day, Jordan was back at the shop early, already working on a new project when Isaiah dropped by. His brother walked in with a smile, taking in the sight of the shop in action.

"Look at you, man. The place is comin' together," Isaiah said, nodding in approval as he looked around.

Jordan wiped his hands on a rag, grinning. "Yeah, it's gettin' there. Still got a lot to do, but I'm makin' it work."

Isaiah walked over to the car Jordan had been working on, inspecting the engine with a raised eyebrow. "You got this thing runnin' smooth. That's quality work, Jay."

Jordan smiled, feeling a sense of pride in his brother's words. "Thanks, man. I've been puttin' in the hours, tryin' to get everything up to standard."

Isaiah leaned against the workbench, crossing his arms. "You know, with the way things are goin', we could start thinkin' about expanding sooner than we thought. I've been runnin' some numbers, and if we get a few more clients in the next couple months, we could look into a bigger location."

Jordan's eyes lit up at the idea. Expanding had always been part of the plan, but he hadn't expected to start thinking about it this soon. "For real? That'd be huge, man."

Isaiah nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, we're on track. Keep doin' what you're doin', and we'll be lookin' at more space before you know it."

Jordan couldn't believe how quickly things were moving, but he wasn't about to slow down. This was his dream, and he was ready to take it as far as it could go. "Let's make it happen, Zay. I'm all in."

Isaiah clapped him on the back, a proud smile on his face. "You always have been, Jay. That's why this is gonna work."

As the day wound down and the sun began to set, Jordan stood outside the shop, watching as the last client of the day drove off in their newly fixed car. The quiet of the evening settled over him, and he couldn't help but reflect on how far he had come.

This shop—this dream—was real now. It was happening. And with Isaiah by his side, with Kayla thriving in her own world, everything felt like it was finally in its right place.

Jordan took a deep breath, letting the cool air fill his lungs as he looked up at the sky. The hustle wasn't easy, but it was worth it. Every late night, every early morning, every ounce of energy he poured into the shop—it was all paying off.

The future was bright, and Jordan was ready to keep pushing forward.