Page 41 of One Sweet Day is Never Enough

Seth smiled big. “No, I promiseyou—I’m going to love your cooking.”

“Okay then,” Gia said, half teasing. “I’ll figure out something soon then.”

“Deal. Just tell me where and when and I will be there.”

“Or be square.” Gia threw back the last sip of her lager.

About half an hour passed and Gia said she was going to find the restroom in Jake’s house. “I’ll be right back.”

“No worries.” Seth hopped up and made his way to the cooler where he grabbed a bottle of water. He was having a great time. Gia was always so much fun to talk to.

He turned to head back to his seat at the fire when Tom approached him again. “Hey dude, can we talk for a second?”

“Yeah, sure.” Seth glanced at Tom, whose feet were planted wide and his shoulders rigid. “What’s up?” Seth asked, not sure what to make of it.

“Look, I’ve seen the way you’ve been acting around Gia all night.” He raised his head. “She obviously likes you.”

What did he mean by that? And what was this guy’s deal? Why was he telling him this? Seth shrugged. “Yeah. So? I like her, too. We work together, and we’re friends.”

“So—I don’t want to see her get hurt. You’ve got a girlfriend, dude, and that’s not cool—you’re playing her. You’re playing them both.” Tom stepped forward. “Gia’s going to be devastated when she finds out—I know her. And I don’t like people messing with her.”

Seth took half a step back. It wasn’t worth causing a scene, plus, Tom was way off. “Look, I don’t know what you think’s going on here, but Gia and I are just friends. Anyway, this is none of your business. But I’m notplayinganybody.”

Tom didn’t move. “Drop the act, dude.”

Seth squared his shoulders and glared at Tom.

“She’s into you, and she thinks you’re—shall we say—available.” Tom moved in closer so no one else would hear. “I suggest you tell her the truth ASAP before she gets her heart broken.”

Seth let Tom’s words sink in without replying. Gia was interested in him? Since when? And how did he not know this?

Seth held his gaze, breathing through his nose as Tom scowled and returned to the fire.

He was chugging his bottle of water when he saw Gia strolling toward him.

“Hey, whatcha doin’?” she said.

He put the lid on the empty bottle then tossed it in the recycle bin, his face clouded with concern. He wondered if Gia had any idea about Stacey—would Tom have told her? He shook it off. “Oh, nothing. I just needed a water. You all set?”

“Yeah.” She smiled—that beautiful smile again. Could it be true? Could she really be into him?

“Hey, you want to walk a little?” He needed to figure this out—now. Maybe he’d been misreading signals. Maybe he’d been sending signals he hadn’t meant to, even before he broke up with Stacey.

“Sure.” Gia fell in beside him.

Had she been hoping for something more from him all this time? If Tom had told her that Seth had a girlfriend and she’d thought he was interested in her at the same time, then he would’ve sounded like a player—and that just wasn’t who he was. He couldn’t let Gia maintain that impression of him, especially now that he knew she liked him—if that was even true. He had to let her know there’d been none of that, and he’d never cheat.

And he had to find out if she liked him. But how?

Seth swallowed over the lump that had formed in his throat as they walked a short distance from the crowd. Another couple had drifted off to the edge of the yard to steal a kiss in the dark. He and Gia noticed them and they both turned away.

Seth could still see Gia’s face by the shimmering moonlight that filtered through the trees. He stopped and turned to her. “Hey.”

“What is it?” She stopped and looked up at him. “So what’s going on?”

What should he say? How should he say this? He could start by explaining his breakup with Stacey. She deserved to know about her, even though it was over. Especially after everything he’d shared with Gia about his time in Sonoma and his life since then. But in all fairness, he’d never even thought to bother her with the whole Stacey thing. He and Gia weren’t reallythereyet as friends. Heading there, maybe, but not there yet. But if she really did have feelings for him like Tom had said, then…

“I have to tell you something.” He studied her face in the moonlight. Tenderness, affection—it was there, wasn’t it? He felt it. Could it be true?

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