Page 108 of Zimyra

“I think we need a bottle of champagne to end our trip like the one that started it,” he says. “I’ma run grab a bottle. I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t be too long.”

“I won’t, sweetheart.”

After he leaves the room, I smile and consider calling Capri, but I decide to just wait. I focus on packing. I toss our suitcases on the bed and fold my clothes. Then I take Axel’s clothes from the chair and fold them. I open his suitcase and place them inside. As I fold it closed, a business card falls out. I pick it up to put it back when I see his name on the card. Frowning, I take a closer look. There’s a logo that says Leverage Realty Group. Then there’s his name:

Axel Jennings |Chief Operating Officer

Leverage Realty Group

What the heck is this? It doesn’t make any sense. Leverage Realty Group is the parent company of Atlantic Properties. If this business card is accurate, that means that Axel isn’t just a maintenance worker who moved to South Carolina looking for work. He’s the freakin’ COO of Leverage Realty Group.

Can’t be.

It’s not possible.

He doesn’t have those kinds of connections.

There’s no way.

Or maybe he was and he left the position and moved down here for a fresh start? But I didn’t see Leverage on his application or resume when he took the maintenance job. Surely, I would’ve remembered that. Whatever’s going on, it’s troubling because it feels like something he deliberately kept from me. If all was well and everything was kosher, why would he hide that from me?

I hear the beep at the door alerting me of his return and move quickly to slide the card into the side zipper of my suitcase. Then I try my best to wipe the pale look off my face before he realizes something’s up.

He says, “I’m back.”

“Good. Go ahead and pour me a glass. I’ll be right back.”

I walk quickly to the bathroom, turn on the sink, and take deep breaths. My heart is pounding in my ears. I’m not sure what to do at the moment. I don’t want to leave this bathroom. I know what I saw. I know what the card said. I know I had a hard time believing he was in maintenance work. I told him that much. Now, I know that there’s a possibility he’s not. I have a gut feeling he’s not who he said he was. He’s been lying to me.

Okay, don’t jump to conclusions, Zimyra. It’s probably all just a misunderstanding. Please be a misunderstanding…

I pull up my phone and bring up Leverage’s website, hoping they have their executive team listed somewhere on there so I can confirm he doesn’t work for them.

The tap on the door startles me as the site loads. I’m such a wreck, I drop my phone on the counter, prompting the stylus to go flying.

“Everything alright in there?”

“Yes, Axel. I’ll be right out.”

I shake out my arms, attempting to get myself together.

It’s not working. I’m a nervous wreck, but I know I have to pull it together. I can’t have him suspicious of me.

When the site comes up, I click on the Leadership & Board tab and the photo and job titles of all the company’s executives pop up. I nearly hit the floor when I see Axel’s photo. Beneath his name is: Chief Operating Officer.

This confirms it. Hehasbeen lying.

I take a deep breath and step out of the bathroom with a forced smile on my face and say, “Sorry about that. I was in the middle of texting Capri.”

NowI’mthe one lying.

He says, “She can’t have your attention right now.”

I walk over to him and take the glass of champagne he’s handing me.

“Thank you.”

---