Sadie didn’t really have a set day here. She basically agreed to come whenever her schedule allowed. Today happened to be a Sunday and was Sadie’s second visit since her return. We hadn’t discussed an actual end date, but she didn’t seem anxious to stop the visits. As long as Birdie was happy, I wasn’t going to be the one to initiate ending the arrangement.

“Sadie. She’s very pretty,” she repeated.

As if I hadn’t heard her the first time.

I took one last sip of coffee and said, “I’m actually late for a meeting with an imported-olive-oil vendor at the restaurant, so . . .”

“You’re trying to avoid the topic. I understand.”

I froze just as I was exiting the kitchen, then turned. “What do you expect me to say? Of course she’s a beautiful girl.”

She wiped the counters. “And sweet . . . and seems like a good person.”

“What are you getting at, Magdalene?”

“Nothing . . . I just noticed you . . . looking at her, and—”

“Goodbye, Magdalene.” I smiled so she didn’t think I was mad. But I needed to completely dismiss this topic of conversation.

The fact that she’d noticed me checking Sadie out was not good. I’d actually been making a concerted effort not to do that. But it wasn’t easy. It was hard not to look at her, to admire her natural beauty whenever we were in the same room. Sadie was attractive in a clean and effortless way. She didn’t need a drop of makeup. And let’s not get started on her body. It was perfect. So I noticed. Sue me, Magdalene.

After I’d gone to my office to grab my keys and wallet, I was just about to head out the front door when she stopped me one more time.

“Mr. Maxwell . . .”

I turned. “Yes?”

She looked down at her feet. “It’s just . . . it’s been four years, and I wonder if—”

“I understand that your intentions are good. But I’m not interested in a relationship or a . . . replacement. No one will ever replace Amanda. Is that what you’re hinting at?”

“Of course not. But you deserve to be happy . . . and Mrs. Maxwell would have wanted you to be.”

I laughed. “Mrs. Maxwell would not have been happy that I was ogling the cute blonde dog trainer, Mags. If you think otherwise, then you didn’t know my wife very well.”

“I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have pried.”

“I know you mean well. But I’ve finally developed a groove. And that doesn’t include anything serious when it comes to dating or relationships. I barely have time for my daughter.”

She shut her eyes and nodded. “Understood. As long as you’re happy.”

I wasn’t gonna touch that comment. “Happy” wasn’t exactly the right word. Stable, maybe. Holding things together, maybe. Not burning down the house, maybe. But happy? There wasn’t any time for happy. Happy didn’t live here anymore.

Magdalene had been around our family for a very long time. When she wasn’t watching Birdie, she cleaned and cooked for us. At this point, she was the one constant in our lives. She also knew way too much. I knew she’d found the condoms in my underwear drawer once because she’d neatly placed the strip back into the box and closed it. She clearly knew I hadn’t been celibate. Maybe that gave her the wrong idea—like just because my dick was functioning again, maybe there was hope for my heart. But it didn’t work that way. Evidently, Birdie wasn’t the only one wishing for a “special friend” around here.

Later that night, my daughter ran into the study, where I’d been doing some inventory work for Bianco’s.

She seemed frantic when she said, “Daddy . . . you have to call Sadie.”

“Why?”

She lifted a tablet she was holding. “She forgot her iPad mini here.”

I took the device from her and looked down at it. “Oh. Well, I’m sure she can do without it until she sees us again.”

“No! She told me she uses it for work. She puts all her notes on it. You know, from her dates and stuff. She let me borrow it to watch something with her Hulu account while she was talking with Magdalene. I put it down to go steal cookies from the pantry while they weren’t paying attention. Then I started talking to them in the kitchen, and she left without taking it. I forgot I had it in my room until now.”

I blew out an exasperated breath. “Alright. I’ve got her number. I’ll give her a call. I can let her know it’s here if she wants to come get it.”

“Thanks, Daddy.”

She placed her arms around my neck, and I gently squeezed her little frame.

Rubbing her back, I said, “Go get some sleep. It’s late.”

Birdie ran out of the room, and I listened to her footsteps as she headed down the hall.

I stared at the phone in my hands for several seconds before scrolling down to Sadie’s name.

When she picked up, I heard a ton of background noise before she finally said, “Hello?”

“Hey . . . it’s Sebastian Maxwell.”

She spoke over the muffled sounds. “Oh. Hey. How are you?” It sounded like she might have been inside a crowded restaurant or bar.

“I’m calling because you left your iPad here. Birdie was adamant that I let you know.”

“Oh crap. That’s right. I’d let her borrow it and completely forgot to take it back before I left.”

“Anyway, we can hang on to it. I just wanted to let you know it was here, in case you were looking for it.”

“Do you mind if I stop by tonight and get it?”

Not expecting that, I hesitated. “Sure.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry for the bother. I can be there in about a half hour.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “Okay.”

“Great. Thanks. See you in a bit.”

After we hung up, I stayed at my desk, bouncing my legs up and down, swiveling in my seat, tapping my pen, crumpling up paper. Anything but concentrating on work. I finally gave up and took the iPad out into the living room while I anticipated her arrival any minute.

When that knock finally came, nothing could have prepared me for the sight on the other side of the door. When I opened it, I found Sadie standing there in a tiny black dress, only a fur cape covering her shoulders. She wore leather boots that went all the way up to her knees. Her long blonde hair was wavier than normal. She looked sexy as all hell, and it honestly made me have to catch my breath for a second. My gaze lingered on hers. A streetlight caught her eyes just enough for the blue of her irises to glow in the dark. Fuck, she was beautiful. A thought of what those eyes would look like staring up from under me crossed my mind. Really, Sebastian?

She took a few steps inside the doorway, even though I hadn’t exactly invited her in yet. Although it was cold out, and I would’ve anyway.

“You’re awfully dressed up. Hot date tonight?”

She looked down at herself, seeming almost embarrassed by her attire. “Oh God. No. I was on a date. Or rather . . . an assignment for work. Not a real date.”

“Ah. I should’ve known.”

“That’s where I was when you called. This was the perfect excuse to get out of it, let me tell ya.”