Katee paused. She leaned back in her chair, and the slowness of the motion told him everything he needed to know.
“So, you know we’ve taken a more… entertainment-focused approach at the magazine,” she started, bracing a notebook against her knee.
“Gossip rags and clickbait,” Noah supplied. “I know.”
She smiled tightly. She looked pissed. Not at him, but at her job. From what Noah remembered, her boss was a piece of work.
“I won’t take the easy route,” she told him. “I want therealstory—however you want to tell it.”
“Good.” Noah straightened his pencil sharpener to line up perfectly with his laptop. He’d gone over this on the phone with Tia before work. He had his lines memorized. But heneededto get this right. For Benji.
“Ask away,” he said.
She clicked her pen. She liked to record the audio and write it down, she’d told him once. Audio to catch the whole thing, bullet points for her to go over later.
“I’m sitting here with Noah Stern, CFO of Stern Appliances,” she started. “Who has recently had several inflammatory articles come out about you and a man called Benjamin Caulfield. Do you have anything to say about that?”
“Why don’t you ask what you want to know?”
She smirked. “Who is he to you?”
“My boyfriend,” Noah said smoothly. “We’ve been dating for almost six months now.”
“Boyfriend. Alright. So not a sex worker?”
“He’s never engaged in sex work,” Noah lied.
He’d discussed this with Benji several days ago. This was the safest option. Calling Benji a sugar baby could lead to legal issues, and Benji didn’t want any future employers knowing he’d done sex work.
But Benji had looked sad for a moment before he’d agreed, so Noah had caught him before he could walk out of the bedroom.
What?Noah had asked.
Nothing, Benji had insisted. Then, when Noah pressed,I just. Are we in a relationship? What are we?
You’re my baby,Noah had replied.I’m committed to you. Is that what you want?
Yes, Benji had said, so fast that he’d blushed.
Katee’s voice dragged him out of the memory. “And the car? And the rumors that you’re currently paying for his hotel?”
“Am I not allowed to buy my boyfriend gifts every once in a while?”
Katee nodded, scribbling something in her notebook. “And the allegations that he’s a heroin user?”
“He’s never abused drugs. He’s never even touched heroin; that was a fabricated story from his property manager to justify throwing him out.”
“And the inside source who said some colorful things about Benjamin’s motivations?”
“I would say that person obviously doesn’t know Benjamin very well,” Noah said dryly. He leaned in, folding his hands together on the desk so they didn’t form into fists. Every time someone glanced their way in the street, Noah had to force himself not to bare his damn teeth at them. These people had no right to think horrible things about his Benji. They didn’t even deserve tolookat him, let alone write lies about him.
“I’ve spent a lot of time with Benjamin and his family,” Noah said. “They’re wonderful people. No one is getting taken advantage of here. And if someone wants to come for me, I’d appreciate it if they did just that. Not by attacking the people I care about.”
Katee nodded, still scribbling. “So, we have the lies about your boyfriend. What would you tell our readers about him?”
“That he prefers to be called Benji,” Noah said. “With very few exceptions. I’d also tell them to mind their own damn business. Don’t?—”
“Put that in,” Katee finished, making a note on her notepad. “Got it. Continue.”
