Chapter 1
Simone.
Marcus.
Jaylen.
Layla.
King.
Sierra.
Mario.
Asia.
S/O to LeeLee1258 for the story idea.
Memphis, Tennessee:
Simone Jackson leaned back in her plush chair, staring out the window at the Memphis skyline. The city was alive, lights blinking, people hustling, but none of it touched her. She had it all—the money, the cars, the condo in the tallest building downtown. But inside, she felt empty.
Her phone lit up on her desk, a reminder that her DoorDash was on the way. She’d ordered something, but it barely mattered. Eating was just something to keep her from getting sick. She sighed, pushing her thick curly hair out of her face, trying to focus on the contracts spread across her desk. Lately, even signing deals didn’t give her the same high it used to.
“Your delivery on the way,” she mumbled to herself, scrolling mindlessly through her notifications. She usually sent her assistant for this type of thing, but tonight? She needed a break from staring at numbers.
Simone grabbed her designer bag, heading down to the lobby of her building. Stepping outside, she felt the Memphis heat still lingering in the night air. It was the end of summer, the kind of sticky that made you just wanna stay in the A/C. She pulled out her phone to check the delivery status.
When she looked up, she spotted the driver by the curb, leaning against an old, beat-up sedan that looked like it had been through it. The dude had on a plain hoodie, some faded jeans, and sneakers that looked like they’d seen better days. His back was turned, focused on his phone, waiting.
“Simone?” he called out, turning around.
Simone’s eyes widened a bit. He was fine. Tall, broad shoulders, caramel skin, and a smile that seemed way too perfect to be real. Something you didn’t see much in her world. She was used to dudes who either tried too hard or acted like they had her figured out. But this guy? He just looked at her like she was any other person on the street. Her last relationship wasn’t a great experience, so Simone hadn’t dated in years, but then again no guy had made her drool the way he did in a long time.
“That’s me,” she said, her tone a little sharper than intended. It was a reflex, the wall she always put up when talking to men especially after past experiences.
He walked over, holding out the brown paper bag. “Got your food right here. Still hot. Threw in some extra napkins too and condiments, just in case,” he said with a grin, nodding toward her spotless outfit.
She blinked, caught off guard by how normal he was. “Uh, thanks,” she muttered, taking the bag from him. She looked at his car again, curiosity getting the best of her.
“You just do DoorDash?” she asked, even though she didn’t normally make small talk with delivery drivers.
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Nah, this just my side hustle. I’m a mechanic, work over at Reese’s Auto during the day. But you know, gotta stack the extra cash.”
Simone nodded, still trying to figure out why she even cared. Her phone buzzed, snapping her back to reality. Business, of course. It was always business.
“Right, well, thanks for the food,” she said, stepping back toward the entrance.
“No problem. Stay blessed,” Marcus said, giving her a nod before turning back to his car.
She watched as he got in and drove off, something about the whole interaction sticking with her. It was quick, shouldn’t have meant anything, but there was something different about him. No slick lines, no pressure, no flirting or being pushy, he was just chill.
Simone stood there for a moment longer than she expected, staring after Marcus’s car as it disappeared into the Memphis night. Her phone buzzed again, demanding her attention, but she hesitated before looking down. What was it about him that had thrown her off her usual game? She couldn’t quite place it, but it was something. Something real, maybe. She wasn’t used to that.
Shaking her head, she walked back inside, the lobby of her building cool and sterile, a stark contrast to the warmth still lingering outside. She took the elevator up to her condo, the familiar hum of it buzzing in the background while her mind replayed the brief conversation. It wasn’t like her to care about something so trivial—a DoorDash driver and his side hustle. Normally, that kind of small talk would have rolled right off her. But now? She felt a strange tug in her chest, like maybe she’d missed something. Something important.
Once inside, Simone tossed the takeout bag onto her marble countertop, but she didn’t open it right away. Instead, she found herself leaning against the island, staring out at the panoramic view of the city below. The skyline, so distant and detached from her, felt the same as her life—something she had conquered, yet never fully connected with.
Her phone buzzed again, and this time she picked it up, the name on the screen pulling her back into the world she knew all too well:Jerome McCallum.
She hesitated before answering. Jerome had been her go-to since she’d ended her abusive relationship 3 years ago, both in business and occasionally in bed. He was the type of guy who knew how to give her what she wanted, but he never gave too much of himself. It worked for a while. But recently, like everything else, it left her feeling hollow.
“Simone, baby, got those contracts signed yet?” Jerome’s smooth voice came through the line, all business with just a hint of something else, like he always kept one foot in her personal space.
She sighed, pushing away the lingering thoughts of Marcus as she refocused. “Yeah, they’ll be on your desk in the morning. I just need to review a couple more clauses.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Jerome replied, his tone slick. “I know you’ve been killing it lately. We should celebrate. Dinner tomorrow?”
Simone rolled her eyes, even though she knew Jerome couldn’t see her. Typical. Always an agenda. She considered it for a moment but found herself uninterested in the idea. “Maybe. I’ll let you know.”
“Come on, don’t leave me hanging, Simone. You know I can show you a good time.” He chuckled, but the sound grated on her tonight more than usual.
“I said I’ll think about it,” she replied, more firmly this time.
Jerome paused, sensing the shift in her tone. “Alright, alright. Hit me up when you’re ready to unwind.”
The call ended, and Simone let the phone drop onto the counter with a soft clatter. Her eyes drifted back to the takeout bag, but now she wasn’t even hungry. Jerome’s voice, usually Chavelle smooth and persuasive, only made her feel more detached from everything. The Chevellemoney, the deals, the high-rise life—it all felt like background noise in a world where nothing really stuck.
She opened the bag and pulled out the food, but as she stared at the container, she thought of Marcus again. That damn smile, the way he didn’t try too hard, the ease with which he’d walked away. It was refreshing, a stark contrast to every man who had tried to claw his way into her life recently. She had built walls around herself so high that most people didn’t even bother trying to scale them anymore. But Marcus? He hadn’t tried at all, and somehow that had gotten to her more than any amount of charm or effort ever could.
As she ate mechanically, barely tasting the food, Simone realized how much she had isolated herself in this glass tower. Success had always been her primary goal, and she’d achieved it. She was the boss, the queen of her world, and yet... it wasn’t enough. Something was missing.
She picked her phone up sitting her food down, she opened her doordash app, surprisingly it still gave her the option to chat with him, and against her better judgement she went for it, but a message had already popped up.
It was a message fromMarcus, the DoorDash driver.
Marcus: Hey, just wanted to say, hope your night’s going well. You seemed a little off earlier.
Simone’s heart skipped a beat, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. She realized he hadn’t ended the order and the option to chat with the dasher was still open.
Her fingers hovered over the screen. Usually, she’d brush something like this off, but curiosity got the better of her. She started typing.
I’m fine, just had a lot on my mind. Thanks for asking.
She hit send, then immediately regretted it. Why was she engaging with him? She didn’t owe this guy anything. And yet, there was something oddly comforting about the simplicity of the exchange. No games, no hidden agendas, just...human. Within seconds, her phone buzzed again.
Marcus: I get that. Life can be heavy sometimes. Just wanted to let you know you looked like you needed someone to check in. Strong people need people too.
Simone stared at the screen, her defenses lowering just a little. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had simply asked if she was okay without wanting something in return. Without thinking too much, she replied.
Thanks. I guess I’ve been a little caught up in work.
A minute passed, and then another, before Marcus responded.
Marcus: Yeah, it shows. But there’s more to life than just work, you know? Maybe you need a break from all that. Stop and smell the roses everything else will always be there.
Simone chuckled to herself. If only it were that easy. She’d began typing back.
Easier said than done when you run the show.
Marcus: True, but even the boss needs to unplug sometimes. Balance is key. Don’t mean to come off creepy, but hey if you’re ever interested in talking here’s my number, 901-777-2648. No pressure if I don’t ever hear from you again. Stay blessed Simone.
Balance. The word hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Balance was something Simone had sacrificed a long time ago for success, for power. And now, here was this guy, this complete stranger, reminding her of what she’d lost along the way. Simone put her phone down, the conversation swirling in her mind. She didn’t know what had compelled Marcus to reach out, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe—just maybe—he was right.
