Page 5 of Scrap Metal & Love Reforged

If I ever mentioned how badly I’d screwed up, if I dared dig up all the old problems I’d created, Skye wouldn’t be angry. No, she’d be sympathetic. Her eyes would soften, and she’d insist in a dozen different ways that I hadn’t done anything wrong. But I had. No amount of my sister’s drivel or apologies from me could erase the past. I'd always been the failure, and survival was the best I could manage.

And make art. But even art had to come second to…food to eat.

“Someday, I’m going to make money with that art,” I replied.

Sooner rather than later, if I did well in the upcoming art competition. It had a prize of $10,000. That wasn't exactly chump change.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t had much time to work on my art. Work took precedence because it came close to actually paying the immediate bills.

“I hope you do,” Skye said, her voice softening, “But you know I worry about—”

The door opened, and I peered past my sister, grateful for the distraction. But it was Seth, and I wasn’t sure he was much better company. Still, I looked outside to see what he’d ridden in on. It was another bike, this one a combination of flat black and gleaming metal.

My sister glanced at Seth, her eyes lighting up. One hand went to her hair, fluffing it from behind. I’d seen that gesture before and had teased her about it more than once; whether she meant to or not, that was how my sister acted when she saw a hot guy. At least it wasn't just me staring.

“Hey, Troy!” Seth exclaimed cheerfully. “I brought you something to look at.”

I was both embarrassed and flattered that he actually remembered my name.

Skye cleared her throat. “Oh,” I said, “Skye, this is Seth.”

Seth flashed her a smile. And God, were his teeth even real? I’d never seen anything so white outside of a toothpaste commercial. If Seth could afford to ride the most expensive Harley out there, he could probably afford decent dental care, no problem. With a sudden wave of self-consciousness, I ran my tongue over my teeth and tried to remember my last dental visit. Two years? Three?

“It’s nice to meet you,” Skye gushed.

“You, too,” Seth said. “I love your dress. It’s exceptionally vibrant.”

Either Seth was being nice, or Seth had horrible taste in clothing, or both.

“Thank you,” Skye gushed again.

Yeah, she was probably wet as hell. If she gushed any more, the pheromoneswould be running all down that “exceptionally vibrant” dress of hers.

Seth added a little bow. “Of course,” he said. “So Troy, come see. I don’t know what the problem is, but she’s making this weird rattling noise.”

Seth walked halfway across the room without ever looking to see if I’d actually follow him. Maybe he just expected everyone to do as he said.

“He’s hot,” Skye muttered, her heels clicking as she followed me.

“You can do so much better,” I lied. “What good is being hot if you have all the charisma of a used tissue?”

“I think he hasplentyof charisma,” she hissed.

I think she now needed that tissue for her private parts.

Skye was wrong. Really, the most attractive thing about Seth was that he clearly had good taste in bikes. It took a ridiculous amount of effort to keep my jaw from dropping as I eyed the bike before me. She was a real stunner, all her machinery visible. I felt an irrational jolt of fear that she might fall apart if I so much as breathed on her.

“Is that an Ecosse Titanium?” I asked.

“Oh, yes,” Seth replied, patting the seat. “This is Athena. Ecosse FE Ti XX Titanium.”

I shook my head. “Do youowna bike without a six-figure price tag?” I asked.

Skye attempted to stifle her gasp.

With a grin, Seth shrugged. “I don’t lookat the price. I just hand people a blank check and let the bank figure it out ifsomeone screws me over,” he said, with such sincerity that I was genuinely unsure if he was joking.

“Damn,” I murmured, stunned.