Page 36 of Scrap Metal & Love Reforged

Admittedly, it was a crappy apartment where the landlord couldn’t be bothered to fix anything, and it leaked every time it rained. But it was still an apartment, which was infinitely better than having to live with either my parents or my sister.

“But will you at least promise you’ll think about it?” Seth asked. “Just in case? You never know what might happen, and I’ll sleep better at night if I know—if you don’t find a decent place—you know you can stay with me.”

I had no intention of taking the offer, but I nodded. “If I don’t find the perfect place, I promise I’ll come live with you.”

Seth’s grin made his entire face light up. “I’m glad to hear it.”

I nodded and returned his smile. And when I let myself imagine living with Seth, a delighted shiver ran up my spine.

Chapter Fourteen

Troy

“So,thisis where the magic happens,” Seth said. “More or less.”

He pulled his red Corvette up to the curb in front of a plain white building—Brandon’s studio, according to Seth. I climbed out of the car, my tennis shoes crunching on the gravel. I shoved my hands into my pockets and glanced at Seth as he climbed out more slowly.

“Is it true you were late every day of filming?” I asked.

Seth grinned. “Did Brandon tell you that?”

He had—and it surprised me, since Seth was always on time with me, or close enough.

“He’s right,” Seth admitted, looking sheepish. “I was probably a pain to work with, but when I showed up, I gave it everything. That counts, right?”

“You looked good on the screen,” I said.

“Of course!”

Gravel growled beneath his shoes as he led the way to the white metal door on the side of the building. No one else was around. It was another day off, and I didn’t have anything better to do—Except look at apartments.

I thought about the listings I’d saved on my phone. I’d already gone over a few with Godofdiscord, but nothing was good enough. Maybe, to him, nothing ever would be.

Seth would probably think all my apartment prospects sucked, too.

Seth unlocked the door and flicked on the lights. Shadows peeled back to reveal a cavernous studio crammed with sets, metal cases, and racks of costumes. Even empty, the place felt crowded. I moved past columns and airbrushed backdrops.

“Do you like it?” Seth asked.

“The sets are much bigger than I imagined,” I replied.

Seth nodded. “Caught me off-guard, too. I knew they'd be big, but they still felt oversized. Not all of them—there are model cities, too.”

I kept exploring. “Are you working on this film, too?”

“No,” Seth replied. “I’m too busy with other things.”

“Like?”

“My charities,” Seth said, “Passion projects. I’ve been funding a lot.”

“That’s very noble of you.”

I stopped at a backdrop: an airbrushed beach at sunset that from a distance would pass for real.

“I tried my hand at that,” Seth said. “It turns out I’m terrible with spray paint.”

“Wait—you’re actuallybadat something?” I teased.