“I am proud of you,” Ben said after a moment, still transfixed. Eliot hadn’t had time to go through the rest of the files yet, but if there was one thing, there was every chance there’d be more. “So proud.”
Eliot’s heart soared at hearing that. All he’d ever wanted was to be a good journalist, and now he was doing it. Having Ben’s approval meant the world to him. He hadn’t known he was capable of this until he’d tried it.
Ben, somehow, had. Eliot was glad he’d had the chance to prove him right.
“Can I ask you something?” Eliot spoke up as Ben turned to get his own laptop out.
“Go ahead. No promises that you’ll get an answer.”
That sounded fair. Eliot appreciated that Ben wasn’t an open book or a grinning optimist all the time. He understood why that was true, as well. Ben had seen a lot that Eliot knew about, and probably much, much more that he didn’t.
“Whydidyou hire me?”
When he’d thought he’d been part of a bulk hiring effort, it had made sense—he had the necessary degree and a few good sample pieces to show. Knowing he’d been chosen specifically, though, that was strange. Thinking back to his interview with Ben, he remembered believing he’d completely bombed it. The email offering him a position had been a surprise.
Ben cleared his throat. “The directive given to senior editors was to hire people who fit the brand. Cocky. You fit the brand.”
Eliot could tell there was more to it. Ben had made it clear he’d chosen him for a real reason. Besides, Eliot didn’t fit the brand. He was the odd one out, and had been since day one.
“I’d like the truth,” Eliot said. “I think I’ve earned it.”
Ben sighed, sitting back and scrubbing his face with his hands. “You walked into my office and I saw myself at your age. Wide eyed, but ambitious, and smart. I watched you assess me with one look, and I knew there was more to you than a nervous kid three thousand miles away from home in a strange city behind your ridiculous glasses.”
“My glasses aren’t ridiculous,” Eliot objected.
“They are,” Ben said, as though it was an objective fact that couldn’t be argued. “But past that, there was something special. Plus, you were an out gay man walking into a men’s lifestyle magazine like you belonged there. Even I…”
Ben trailed off, but he’d already said enough for Eliot to put the pieces together. He hadn’t, before, but now it made so much sense.
“You’re gay,” Eliot said.
“Bi, actually. But it’s taken me years to come to terms with it. And I suppose now I also have to admit that some part of me just liked looking at you.” He smiled wryly.
Eliot blushed, looking down at his knees. That was… flattering.
“I lost the love of my life to not being able to admit out loud that I was attracted to men when I was your age. I guess part of me saw you as someone who could avoid all my mistakes, since you’d already avoided that one.”
“Oh,” Eliot said softly. That was yet another thing he hadn’t known about Ben. He suspected few people did. “Well, your secret’s safe with me.”
“Thank you.” Ben sighed, firing up his laptop without sitting back up.
He was a different man outside of the office. More human, by a long way.
Eliot hoped they really would become friends. Ben seemed like the kind of man who could use a friend.
“And for the record, if you’d made a move back then, I wouldn’t have said no,” Eliot admitted, blushing even harder than before.
Ben chuckled. “Yeah, well. I’ve always been too slow. And I know you’re off the market now.”
Eliot swallowed. He’d hoped he hadn’t been that obvious, but sharp observation skills were a trait he and Ben shared.
“I never meant to fall for him,” Eliot said softly, not wanting Danny to hear. He wasn’t ready for that conversation yet, and he knew Danny wasn’t, either. Besides, it was early days, and all the excitement of a new relationship could have been clouding his judgement.
Eliot knew himself well enough to know that he wouldn’t change his mind, but he wanted to take some time to be sure anyway. Today’s events had been bad, but they were already starting to unravel in his favor.
“Kinda how love works,” Ben said, tapping distractedly on his keyboard. “Send me those files, will you? We’re taking this asshole down.”
Eliot laughed, tension he hadn’t realized he was still holding finally leaving his shoulders and the pit of his stomach. They were taking Walter down, and he’d pay for everything he’d done.
