Page 101 of Where There's Smoke

She laughed. “Jesse, I know you. You’d quit this election and become a hard-core Republican before you called it quits with Anthony.”

“Even if that’s the best solution?”

“Best for your campaign, maybe.” She shrugged. “But we’ve all seen what happens when you two try to break up.”

I furrowed my brow.

Ranya rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You didn’t think I caught on?”

“Uh, no.”

“I did. Trust me. And it didn’t work, did it?”

“No. I’m just not sure what else to do.” I scrubbed a hand over my face and sighed. “You know, policy making and all that shit is infinitely less complicated than this.”

“Jesse, darling, the study of nuclear physics is less complicated than your situation.”

I shot her a glare. “I meant relationships in general. This mess is…”

“A mess.”

“A mess, yes.”

“Understatement,” she said. “And it’s just going to keep getting worse. You know that, right?”

I nodded. “So what do I do? I don’t want to hurt Simone any more than I already have. I don’t want to lose Anthony. I just…” I blew out a breath and shook my head. “I’ll take any advice I can get right about now.”

“If it weren’t for all the political games you have to play,” she said, her voice gentle and sympathetic, “the answer would be obvious. Divorce Simone, let her go free, and then you and Anthony can do your thing with a clear conscience. But the election, that complicates things.”

“It does. And I’m open to suggestions.”

Ranya sighed. “If I had one, I’d share it, but I don’t have a clue how to clean all this up without someone getting hurt or blowing your chances at getting elected.”

I rubbed my forehead with two fingers but said nothing.

Ranya put her hand over mine, the gentle contact startling me. “I know you don’t need this on top of everything else. This is all obviously eating you alive, and the last thing you need is more guilt. But…”

I took a breath. “Go ahead.”

She squeezed my hand. “Think of how you’re feeling tonight. While Anthony is out with Slade.”

“Okay…”

“Your significant other,” she said. “Out with someone else while you’re sitting back here wondering what’s going on, probably imagining more than you should if you want to stay sane.” Her eyebrows rose.

I watched her silently, waiting for her to finish the thought, but she said nothing. She watched me too, and something in her eyes told me all the pieces were there, the whole equation was written out, I just needed to put it all together. Make the connection. Figure out what—

I flinched. “Simone.”

Ranya nodded. “Yeah. For as much as she says she’s okay, you also insisted you’re okay with Anthony being out with Slade tonight.” When I winced, she said, “I’m sorry, Jesse. I know you don’t need that, but…neither does she.”

“No, she doesn’t.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Do you…do you really think this upsets her? Me being with him?”

“Definitely.”

“Even after she practically shoved me at him the day we met him?”

“Definitely. And she’s probably put on a smiling face and told you it’s okay and said she hopes you two are happy together too.”

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