Page 75 of One Sweet Day is Never Enough

She shook free of him. “Like I said—you don’t get to tell me what to do.”

“I neverhavetold you what to do.” His voice was icy. “Stacey, I’maskingyou not to make a scene tonight. Can you please just—”

“What’s the matter? You don’t like being called out as a two-timer?”

Gia really wanted to walk away, but she couldn’t just stand by and let the situation get out of control. Her entire professional reputation was at risk. This monster was going to make a huge scene if they didn’t calm her down, and it was Gia’s job to put out sparks like this before they became full-blown fires.

She stepped forward. “Look, Stacey, nobody’s been two-timing anyone. This is a big misunderstanding. If you’ll just take a moment to—”

“—That’s exactly what I’d expect you to say, blondie.” She returned her gaze to Seth. “So how long has this been going on?”

Seth glared at her. “Nothing’s going on here—except for you making accusations.”

“Which are all true,” Stacey shot back.

“Stacey!” Seth’s voice was loud. Gia could tell he was about to lose it.

“Seth, don’t let her do this to you.”

Stacey smiled devilishly. “Go on, listen to your new girlfriend,” she said, pretending to pout. “She knows what to do. She’s inchargehere.”

Seth’s nostrils flared. He drew in a heavy breath and let it out.

Gia looked beyond him. A small crowd of curious partygoers had stopped to watch.Oh, for crying out loud.It was happening—the scene.

“Stacey, please…” Gia mustered as calmly as she could. “Come with me and I’ll get you something to—”

Stacey edged a few steps closer to Gia. “Look at her. Long blonde hair. Perfect blue eyes.Pretty in pink.How predictable.” She looked disgusted. “I thought you had more sophisticated taste thanthis.” She took a few locks of Gia’s wavy blonde hair and yanked.

“Ouch!” Gia cried.

Stacey let go and Gia took a step back, stunned. Ouch.

Now what?

Did that seriously just happen?

“How dare you?” Seth grabbed Stacey by the hand and marched her away.

Tim and Ryan Trewet stepped through the group of onlookers, their eyes bulging, as Seth and Stacey hurried off in the dark, toward the farmhouse.

“What in the world happened here?” Tim said, alarmed. He must’ve seen the exchange from a distance. Gia gaped at him, her gut clenching.

Abigail showed up behind them a moment later, and her face said it all.What have you done?

* * *

Seth satwith his mother in the kitchen under a low light. His father had gone to bed. Stacey had passed out in their guest room half an hour ago, after a long and agonizing discussion—or was it just an argument?—about how things were never going to work out between them. How circumstances and geography had played a role but that his feelings for her were gone. There was nothing he could do about it. Coming back to Wisconsin had changed everything, and there was no going back to what they used to have together.

Stacey had shed a lot of tears but drank a lot of water and had taken a few aspirin before she passed out. Seth hoped the hangover wouldn’t be too rough tomorrow.

She finally believed him when he said he didn’t cheat on her with Gia, but she still didn’t like it that he was already seeing someone only three weeks after they’d broken up.

He understood. He might’ve felt the same way if things had been reversed, although he wouldn’t have flown across the country to try to change her mind.

Whatever the case, she’d be more like herself tomorrow.Let’s hope.He shook his glass and threw back some of the ice cubes from the bottom of his ice water.

“So Mom,” he said quietly, “I’m really sorry about all this. I know tonight was very important to the future of the farm. I’ll call the Trewets tomorrow and apologize.”

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