“Careful,” Matt warned him when he gleefully relayed one of Adina’s retort videos one day to Gus and Matt, showing truthseeker98’s furious comments. “You’re poking a hornet’s nest.”
Jacob snorted. “What are they going to do, come up here and make a scene?”
Gus laughed. “Are you kidding? No. Never. That would end the ruse. These types are lions online and mice in real life.”
That only proved Jacob’s point. “Well, then what can they do? I mean, honestly, all we need is a video of Rasul denying her.”
Matt shook his head. “It’s all about spin. Adina can turn around and paint Rasul as a user, that he duped her. Unless he gets down and dirty and keeps going after it—but that plays into her hand too. She’s only got this online attention. That she dredged this up when it was already over isn’t a good sign. I’m not trying to call her a crazy ex-girlfriend, because that oversimplifies this—but she is a wounded animal in a lot of ways. She can keep finding things you care about and destroy them. And honestly, if she really has a mole here, they’re the true danger.”
Gus sobered. “You make a good point. Maybe you should set this aside, Jacob.”
Jacob went cold. “What do you mean, danger? Like, physical danger?”
Matt shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know. But again, I’m going to encourage you to let her have this arena. You had your fun, but it’s time to get back to your real life. Rasul’s ignoring it. His agent is too. Have you talked to her?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“This might be a good time to change that. She’s clearly been watching this go down.” Matt grimaced. “But honestly, my advice is let it go. I don’t like what this is doing to you.”
Jacob came up sharp. “What do you mean? What is this doing to me?”
“You’re looking down instead of up. You’ve been so focused on this you haven’t done anything with the chamber election in weeks. Meanwhile Clark is showcasing this fight as a reason you aren’t suited. You’re proving his point by getting in the mud. What does it gain your store? What does it gain Copper Point? What, really, does it even give Rasul? His reputation? He’s better if he leaves it alone. Why aren’t you?”
“It’s wrong,” Jacob insisted.
Matt wouldn’t let up. “This isn’t like you, Jacob. Let it go.”
Gus sighed. “I think he’s right. I shouldn’t have egged you on. Come on, let’s plan our raffle baskets instead.”
Jacob couldn’t get his mind on the baskets. He was too busy worrying about what Matt and Gus said. Had he really gotten too caught up? Was it actually the better strategy to not engage? He couldn’t deny the accusation that he’d neglected his campaign for chamber president. He’d already resigned himself to not winning.
Had he truly lost because he’d gone into the weeds for Rasul? Wasn’t it right to fight for who you loved?
He was still surly when he got back to the apartment, where Rasul sat in his ponytail and glasses at the kitchen table as usual, a cat in his lap and two sitting nearby observing him as he typed. He glanced up at Jacob as he entered and smiled. “Hey, handsome. Good MMS meeting?” He got a better look at Jacob and closed his computer. “Not a good meeting. Sit down. Tell me about it.”
Jacob displaced an angry Susan from her chair and regarded Rasul soberly. “I don’t want to distract you from your work.”
“What work? I mean, yeah, there’s a lot going on, but marketing and promotion is nothing like drafting a book. Talk to me. Is this the Adina baiting you’ve been doing coming to bite you in the ass? I’ve been worried about it, but I didn’t want to harsh your groove.”
Jacob blinked. “You knew what I was doing?”
Rasul laughed. “Of course I did. I haven’t logged on yet because I knew it would make me upset, but Elizabeth has given me summaries.” He reached across the table and took Jacob’s hand. “I appreciate you standing up for me. A lot. It’s very sexy. But you don’t need to do it. I don’t care about any of that anymore. Let Adina be in an imaginary relationship with me. I’ll take you to the red-carpet opening of Carnivale in film and the whole world will know she’s lying.”
So it was just as Matt had said. “I don’t like that she thinks she owns you. That they all do.”
“Honestly? Adina’s got to know. This is desperation. Is it unhealthy? Yeah, and it makes me sad. And scared. There but for my retreat to Copper Point go I. I wouldn’t have burned out that way, but I would have done a Rasul version of it. So, I mean, let her. I’ve got a finished book, a great future, and an amazing boyfriend. Elizabeth has been pleased at how your little war with Adina has drawn attention, actually. My agent gets asked questions, tells the truth, they believe her, and then she starts pitching interviews for the book. A few of them have asked me about it, and I do nothing but talk about you. This is all going to fall apart within months for her.” He drew Jacob’s hand to his lips and kissed it. “However, I don’t want you to fall apart.”
“I—I’m not—”
“You don’t like being online. You said that before. I don’t exactly think it’s changed now. You’re not talking about your campaign anymore, or things for the bookstore. You just look grim. I wanted to let you play this through and figure it out, but… I know the look on your face. You’ve let this get to you.”
How could he deny it? Now he felt ashamed. “I’m sorry.” His shoulders rolled forward. “Matt thinks I’ve neglected the chamber election. I think I’ve already lost.”
“How soon is it?”
“May, which isn’t that far away now, but—”
“But nothing. I think I’ve done enough self-promotion for a bit.” Rasul waggled his eyebrows. “Forget winning the stan wars. Let’s go make you king of the chamber of commerce.”
Jacob blushed and smiled. “Fine.” He nodded to the computer. “So the interviews have been good?”
“They have. We finished the final proofs of the book weeks ago now, and they rushed a few digital advance reader copies. Normally there wouldn’t be any reviews until the summer, but Elizabeth says she thinks a few of them are going to rush to be the first. I don’t think I’m that special, but I guess there’s a lot of buzz. Also apparently your war with Adina has been enticing everyone. They want to see what my time in Siberia has done to my writing. I think Elizabeth wants you to go on tour with me.”
It was the first time they’d mentioned the future, a time past the end of the school year. “Oh? Do you want me to come along?”
“I don’t want to tour at all. But if I go, and if you’d come, yes, I’d love to have you there. To hold my damn hand. I can’t believe I used to go after this stuff like a junkie. If I could, I’d do all the signings here.”
“We can certainly talk about it.”
“Speaking of talking about it.” Rasul shifted in Jacob’s arms and looked up at him, slightly apprehensive. “I, um, told Larson and Evan I want a permanent position.”