Page 66 of Zimyra

“Money isn’t driving this. It’s passion. She wants to start her own interior design business.”

“Oh!” He laughs. “All women think they’re interior designers. She ain’t going nowhere. Trust me on that.”

His words sting. He talks about her like he knows her when he doesn’t. I feel like defending her, but in a way that won’t raise any red flags. I say, “Don’t be so sure of yourself. She’s good at it. She designed the lobby at Atlantic, as well as the model unit. Her work is impressive. Also, she uses her own money to make the placeweown look good.”

“You sound salty about that.”

“I am. She shouldn’t be using her money like that.”

“She doesn’t have to. Nobody told her to do that. She did it on her own accord. If she couldn’t afford it, she wouldn’t have done it, correct?”

“You’re missing the point, Peter.”

“Which is?”

“This—all these little things she does—is why her move-out rate is low. She’s making these enhancements to this place on her own dime like she’s the owner when it’s us. You sent me down here to find out how she’s running the joint, and I’m telling you—she’s investing in a company she doesn’t own because she cares so much about these people.”

“Okay, then run her a few thousand.”

“I’m amaintenanceman, remember? You don’t think it’ll be suspicious for me to be handing her a few thousand dollars when property managers make more than maintenance workers?”

“Oh, right…forgot about that.”

“And besides all that, there’s no way she would take money from me. That’s why I told you to give her the bonus.”

“Okay. I got it. In the meantime, keep at it. Perhaps the info you’re gathering will be helpful in training her replacement.”

“What makes you think she can be replaced?” I hear myself asking, still in defense mode, only this time, I don’t care how he takes it or if it sets off any alarms. The truth of the matter is, she can’t be replaced. I don’t need to know her for another second to know that.

The line goes silent. After a few beats, Peter finally responds, “Everybody can be replaced, Ax. You know this.”

His nonchalant attitude rubs me the wrong way when it comes to her. The thought of Zimyra easily being replaced irritates my soul. Perhaps I shouldn’t be thinking this way. I’m losing my business sense and replacing it with personal feelings.

That’s not a good thing. I never have these kinds of problems withfeelings, but I have them with her. I know it’s because I care about her and I shouldn’t. I don’t know how it happened, but this woman is inching close to a place I secured with a brick wall, a moat, and guards. I thought my heart was protected from caring about anyone other than my immediate family and friends, but—

“Ax, what’s going on with you?”

I sigh and say, “You say everybody can be replaced like you know her. You don’t know her, Peter.Ido. I’m the one down here in the trenches. I see firsthand what she does for this company and, I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that the answer is, no. Shecannotbe replaced.”

“Understood,” he says.

“By the way, did you put the bonus through? Did you send her an email telling her we’re going to roll out that app?”

“Not yet.”

I release a deep sigh as I turn into the parking garage of my apartment and say, “Peter, I need this stuff done.”

“I’m working on it, son. Do you think I can just drop everything I’m doing to make sureoneperson gets what they want when I oversee an organization of over three hundred people?”

“What did you send me down here to do?”

“Ax—”

“No—answer the question. What did you send me down here to do? You wanted me to crack her code, right? You wanted me to find out why she’s making us successful. I’m doing that. I’ve cracked her. When I tell you I need something, I need it. Send her the email and get payroll to push that bonus through ASAP. Please.”

“Okay. Calm down. I will take care of it within the next two days. You have my word. Her bonus will be on the next check.”

“Thank you.”

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