Chapter 26 – Jasper
The interview we had with Nicky aired last night, and so far the reception had been good.
Otis and I had come to HQ early. Otis had wanted to get a workout with Daniel, I really needed to get in a workout with Lars.
In just over two weeks, we will be heading to Belgium, and I really want everything to have calmed down by then, but I’m not sure that is going to happen.
I had come into the canteen, to sit and have some time on my own.
Pulling out my phone, I open up Nicky’s social media account and click on the link that brings up the interview.
Nicky had decided to share there to try and get more people interested, and it had worked, but not all of it was good.
Otis had already told me to stop looking at the comments, but I couldn’t stop myself.
“Otis told me you would be looking at your phone,” Marcus’s voice sounds next to me.
“I really hate that you two have become good friends,” I reply.
Looking over to Marcus, I see him standing next to me, his hand outstretched, twitching his fingers to hand over my phone.
“Jasper, phone,” Marcus demands.
“I’m only looking,” I state.
“Otis told me what you’re looking at. These comments are not worth your time. These are strangers on the internet,” Marcus adds, as he pulls out the chair opposite of me, but the moment he’s settled, “phone, please.”
“I will stop,” I state.
“I know you, and I know that you’ll keep looking. So, phone or I’m calling Otis,” Marcus demands.
“Fine,” I reply, and slide my phone over to him.
“Thank you,” Marcus states, looking smug. “And you love that me and Otis are friends. So you can cut that crap too.”
“I don’t like it when the two of you gang up on me,” I mumble back.
“Jasper, we aren’t ganging up on you. We are both just looking out for you. We don’t want Clive to destroy what you have worked so hard for.”
“It’s just…” I start, but I know that Marcus is right. It’s just that I have so much more to lose this time around.
“There is no just. Your life is different now. It’s not just me and Kimber. You have an entire team behind you, not to mention the love of an extremely sexy man.”
“Marcus,” I groan, but his statement makes me smile all the same, “Are you going to keep saying that when we’re married?”
“I’m going to keep saying that until Otis sees sense and realises that this,” and with his hand indicates his body, “Is the better option than you.”
“Never going to happen, Marcus,” Otis says, making Marcus jump and coming over to me for a kiss before sitting down next to me. Instantly I’m looking around, worried that someone is going to see, before I remember that everyone knows and doesn’t care.
“Don’t knock it till you try it,” Marcus states with a smile.
“Sorry to burst your bubble, Marcus, but you just don’t do it for me,” Otis replies. “Every time I see Jasper, most of the time I want to push him up against a wall and kiss him. You, I want to high five.”
“Ouch, Marcus,” I chuckle. “I think Otis just friend-zoned you.”
“Story of my life,” Marcus states.
“Bullshit, Marcus. You love the single lifestyle,” I say. “Going to the club, doing a scene, but honestly, doing a scene with the same person, well there is nothing better.”
“Shut up, Jasper,” Marcus replies, which just makes me laugh again before I see him slide my phone over to Otis. “Oh, he was looking at it.”
“Marcus you snitch,” I state.
“Payback’s a bitch,” Marcus replies.
“Jasper. Why the fuck are you still looking at those comments?” Otis snaps.
“I was only looking briefly,” I respond.
“How many good comments were there?” Otis asks.
“One,” I reply.
“And how many bad?” Otis adds.
“I think I lost count at five,” I tell him.
“Marcus, can you check?” Otis asks.
I look over to Otis like he has lost his mind. Why the hell is he getting Marcus to count the comments? I could clearly see that there were more bad comments than good. Marcus going to have a look is not going to change that.
“I would say about even,” Marcus adds, “there might be a few more bad comments but most of them are shit. Probably written by keyboard warriors who, if they were standing in front of you, would be as nice as pie.”
“See,” Otis starts. “You only saw the bad ones. So please get your head out of your arse. I’m sure that there were bad comments when Lars and Vincent came out. Even more with Richard and David. We just have to ignore them. These people don’t know us.”
“Yeah I know,” I reply, but there is still that little voice that says Otis will suddenly listen to them and walk away, even though we are engaged.
“Jasper, just so you know, we are engaged. There is a ring on your fucking finger. I’m not going anywhere,” Otis says.
“I know.”
“Then quit saying I know and listen to us,” Otis states, giving me a smile.
“The fucking bastard,” Marcus suddenly mutters, and I wonder where this has come from. Otis didn’t really say anything that constituted Marcus calling Otis a bastard.
“Marcus?” I state.
“Sorry, I just checked my phone and well...” Marcus adds, looking up at us.
“Well what?” But I get a feeling that I’m not going to like what he’s going to say.
“It’s Clive. Looks like he has done an interview, saying that everything we have said is a lie.
That he has money. That he has never been controlling and his marriage ended because he had been confused about his sexuality.
That him and Marj only found each other because of the way you guys treated them. ”
“Seriously, how the fuck is he getting away with all this shit?” I demand.
“I have no idea. I think that he’s going to tell whoever is going to listen to him,” Marcus adds.
“Do we need to make another statement?” I ask, but what can we say that hasn’t already been said?
“No, I don’t think that will do any good. We have nothing further to stay. But I have an idea,” Marcus says. “I’m going to beat them at their own game. They use social media as a weapon, then so can we.”
“Marcus, what are you thinking?” I wonder, not sure if I like where this is going.
“Well, I think we need to get photos of you continuing your life as normal. Both here and away from the track. I will get some pictures and post them to the Montague Racing socials, and you need to go on some dates. The world knows about you now.”
“Really, that is the plan? To basically ignore it?” I ask.
“Yeah. Each time we counter their story they are just going to come back with something else,” Marcus adds.
“I think Marcus might be onto something,” Otis replies. “Let’s show them, and the trolls, that we don’t care what is being said about us.”
“It means throwing us more into the limelight,” I add.
“I’m already there, I’m just bringing you along for the ride,” Otis says, giving me a smile.
The sound of my mobile ringing stops the conversation in its tracks, and then Otis looks at the phone.
“Doug,” he tells me as he passes over the phone.
I answer the call quickly. I haven’t heard from Doug since he called us with the news of Clive and Marj’s money issues. I thought that that was the end of his services.
“Hi,” I say down the line.
“Mr Knight,” Doug says. He has called me this from the start, refusing to call me Jasper, yet I noticed that he used Kimber’s name. I think that Doug has a little soft spot for Kimber, and he would be perfect for her. “Clive’s ex-wife just called me.”
“Is this good?” I ask.
“Well considering the interview I just watched, I think it’s brilliant. His wife is furious. Looks like there might be some children involved.”
“Children?” I gasp, it never occurred to me that Clive might have had children. Well, this changes matters. How could a man be so cruel when there are children involved?
“Yeah,” Doug confirms. “She has reached out to me to warn you that she’s going to the press. She is hoping that if she gives her side of the story it might help.”
“She’s willing to do that?” I ask.
“Considering she came to me, I think so, yeah,” Doug states.
“Give her my number if she wants it, or Otis’s if she doesn’t want to talk to me. I want her to know that we support her,” I say.
“I think that she will like that. Oh, and by the way, she told me to tell you congratulations on your engagement.”
“Thanks, Doug.” And I hang up the call.
Looking up, I see Marcus staring at me, and when I look over to Otis he’s wearing the same questioning look on his face as Marcus.
“Care to explain what that call was all about?” Otis asks.
“That was Doug,” I respond.
“No shit, Sherlock,” Otis replies. “What did Doug have to say and who is getting my phone number?”
“Clive’s ex-wife,” I tell them, and their faces morph into surprise, “Looks like we aren’t the only ones that are pissed at Clive today. Looks like we won’t need to go to the press again, because she is.”
“What?” Marcus and Otis exclaim at the same time.
“Oh, this is an interview I can’t wait to see,” Marcus adds, and I have to agree with him.
“You mentioned children?” Otis asks.
“Yeah, looks like Clive’s got some kids. Something that he has failed to mention,” I reply. “I knew Clive was a prick, but to do all this when there are kids? That’s a new low.”
“Kids? How many?” Otis asks.
“No idea. Doug didn’t say,” I reply.
“We need to support her,” Otis states. “In any way we can.”
“I agree. It’s why I offered Doug to give her my number. I hope she calls.”
“She will,” Marcus answers.
“How can you be so sure?” I ask him.
“Because, if this woman is brave enough to stand in front of the press and talk about her relationship with kids, well she, is a fucking tough cookie,” Marcus answers.
“Did Doug say when the interview was going to happen?” Otis asks.
“No. Hopefully he’ll call when he has more information,” I tell them. “But for now we’re just going to have to carry on as normal, which means you need to go to your training session with Daniel,” I tell Otis.
“Shit,” Otis says, looking at his watch. “I’m gonna be late. See you at home.”