Chapter Thirteen
Even as he tried to make himself work on the article he’d agreed to do for Ben, Eliot couldn’t stop thinking about how stupid he’d been the night before. What the hell had he been thinking?
Danny was paying him specifically so he wouldn’t have to deal with any of the messy crap that came with an actual romantic relationship. Now he’d gone and screwed it up.
Not only had he screwed up, but then he’d run away without even pausing to apologize. He knew better than that, but panic had set in. He’d needed to get away before Danny rejected him, which was the obvious next step.
Eliot shifted uncomfortably in his chair, a knot of anxiety sitting heavily in his stomach. He’d taken out his phone to apologize, to explain himself—maybe even to come clean about his confusing, awkward feelings that he knew Danny didn’t want to be on the receiving end of. To promise that if Danny gave him another chance, it would never be a problem again.
He wasn’t even thinking about the money anymore. He was thinking about how he’d betrayed Danny’s trust, about how he’d probably never see him again.
The thought of never seeing him again hurt. Danny had come to mean a lot to him, wriggled his way into Eliot’s heart while he’d had his guard down.
Eliot jumped when his phone vibrated. He grabbed it immediately, unlocking it to check who’d sent him a new message.
When he saw it was from Danny, he thought he might actually burst with relief. They were still on speaking terms. That was much better than Eliot had imagined.
I know it’s short notice, but I have a charity thing tomorrow night and I’m hoping you’re still cool with coming with me, the text read.
Eliot responded,of course, just send me the details,at lightning speed.
Awesome,Danny sent,I’ll send you contact details for a guy who’ll fit you for a suit, but you’ll have to go today. Meet at my house tomorrow, around 7.
I can do that, Eliot said, even knowing that he had a deadline looming. The deadline was important, his career was important, but so was this.
The next thing Danny sent through was an address and instructions to mention his name and have the bill sent to him.
Eliot responded with a quick text to confirm that he understood, and then set his phone down with a sigh of relief. Not only were they still speaking, but Danny was behaving as though it was business as usual. He was going to let Eliot forget the whole thing.
Honestly, that was the best outcome Eliot could have hoped for. All he wanted was to pretend it had never happened, and to go on enjoying Danny’s company in whatever form he could get it.
Looking back, he could hardly believe he was anything less than thrilled to be sent on the assignment that had started all of this. He’d expected to hate Danny, wanted to see him as nothing more than a dumb jock with no redeeming features, but he’d been wrong. He’d been incredibly wrong.
Eliot realized now that his prejudice had been ridiculous. Danny was a complex, endearing man, and he was so grateful to have met him.
Losing him completely would have hurt. Whatever happened, Eliot wasn’t going to screw up this second chance. Danny’s friendship had taught him so much already, and he knew there was more to come. All he had to do was avoid letting his messy, confused feelings spill out everywhere.
That sounded simpler in theory than it would be in practice, but Eliot was determined to get it right this time.
An email from Ben looking for a quick status update and a look at what he had so far interrupted his thought process.
Eliot had gone from feeling as though he didn’t really have friends at all to having two older, gorgeous men wanting his attention in the space of just a few weeks. Now that he didn’t feel as though he had to be afraid of Ben, he could see him for the kind, good-hearted man he was.
He was also a man who could do good things for Eliot’s career, if Eliot listened to him and took his advice. Ben had taken a risk on him by giving him the interview with Danny, and he owed it to him to do his best. Not only that, but he owed it tohimself.
He’d moved out here to launch his career, and he was finally starting to get somewhere.
As long as he could keep everything balanced—his obligations to Danny and his unfortunately persistent crush, his regular work, and the extra stuff Ben was giving him—things were looking up.
