I haven't read the story so I can't really comment on its relative merit, however, I mostly write in present tense, so that comment is interesting to me. I'm not sure why a story would have to be written in past tense at all, even if it's not being told from first person. And tense change within sentences even is certainly possible. For example:

Jared still remembers the first time they met that day at casting, Jensen's almost shy, subdued manner and how different it was when they started the reading, the first spark of connection. It's hard to go back and think about the time when Jensen was a stranger and Jared felt like he'd never really know Jensen, because now he can't imagine his life without Jensen in it.