After that, I’d moved on to the next stages . . . the ones that are supposed to come after denial and anger. I think those are bargaining, depression, and acceptance. But I’m not positive, because who am I kidding? I didn’t go to any next stage. Well, unless even more pissed off was the stage that came after anger.

Now here it was, Saturday morning, and I stood in front of the Maxwells’ brownstone ready to toss around a big attitude as I knocked for my weekly training.

Except when the door opened, it wasn’t Sebastian.

Or Birdie.

Or Magdalene, even.

It was a woman wearing a bathrobe who had her hair wrapped up in a towel.

She smiled at me and extended her hand. “You must be Sadie. I’m Macie. Seb told me you’d be here at eleven, but I seem to have lost track of time in the shower. His water pressure is incredible.”

Seb? Shower? I felt like I got kicked in the gut. All my anger suddenly vanished and I skipped stage three and went right to stage four: depression.

“Uh. Hi.”

The woman opened the door wide. “Come on in. Make yourself at home while I run and throw on some clothes.”

I nodded and followed her inside, even though all I wanted to do was turn around and leave. The woman walked down the hall . . . toward Sebastian’s bedroom. In a state of shock, I stood there staring after the door closed and couldn’t seem to move until she came back out.

“There, that’s better.” She walked out wearing a pair of tight jeans with a T-shirt and pulled the towel from her hair. Long red locks cascaded around her pretty face.

“Birdie and Magdalene should be back any second.”

I blinked a few times, realizing I hadn’t even noticed that they weren’t here. “Oh. Okay. Are you . . . staying here?”

“Just until tomorrow. I hadn’t planned on coming. But it was such a nice surprise when Seb called and invited me that I just couldn’t say no.” She smiled. “I’m usually the one pushing myself on him.”

Jealousy pulsed through my veins, and I clenched my teeth. This woman obviously had no clue that just one week ago, I was the one sleeping in that same exact bedroom she’d just gotten dressed in. I couldn’t help but let her know that little fact.

“I hope he washed the sheets before you two . . .” I motioned with my hand toward Sebastian’s bedroom. “Before you two did whatever you did in there. Because my naked ass was all over them less than a week ago.”

The woman’s brows shot up. She started to say something when the front door flew open. Birdie and Marmaduke came racing in, making a giant ruckus. Magdalene walked in a few seconds afterward, out of breath. She smiled. “They raced for the last block. I’m no match for a ten-year-old and a four-legged runner.”

The redhead from Sebastian’s bed walked over and helped Birdie with her jacket. As soon as it was off her shoulders, she ran to hug me. I felt an ounce of vindication. At least Birdie liked me better.

“Sadie, can we work on roll over today?”

“Sure. Whatever you want.”

“Can Aunt Macie help?”

My brow furrowed. “Who?”

“Aunt Macie.”

A feeling of dread washed over me. The redhead walked over and put her hands on Birdie’s shoulders, looking down at her. “I didn’t get a chance to explain who I was yet, sweetheart.” The woman looked up at me. “Like my niece said, I’m her aunt.”

I closed my eyes. God, this can’t be happening. Please, please tell me she’s Sebastian’s sister. That’s the least you could give me, here.

Swallowing, I opened my eyes. “Sebastian’s sister?”

The woman shook her head back and forth. “No. His wife’s.”

I wanted to crawl into a hole.

After my training session with Birdie ended, Magdalene said she was taking her to a playdate at a friend’s house. I figured I’d slink out with them, even though I knew that I owed Macie an apology. But apparently I wouldn’t be getting off that easy.

“Sadie . . . do you have a minute?”

Damn . . . I’d been so close to the door. I sighed and nodded, then bent to hug Birdie goodbye and told Magdalene I’d see her next week.

When the door closed, I took a deep breath and turned around to face Macie.

“I’m so sorry about earlier.”

She smiled warmly. “How would you like a cup of tea or maybe some coffee?”

“Is it too early for wine?”

Macie laughed. “A girl after my own heart. Come, let’s raid Sebastian’s liquor cabinet. I’m pretty sure he has some Baileys that we can spike our coffees with.”

I’d been joking, but apparently Macie wasn’t. She went into Sebastian’s office, pulled out a bottle, and then headed to the kitchen to make two coffees and stirred in the creamy liquor.

Back out in the living room, we sat together on the couch.

“I’m mortified by what I said.” I shook my head. “I honestly don’t know what came over me. Obviously, I didn’t know you were his sister-in-law. I just saw you going into his bedroom to change, and you’d said you were usually the one pushing yourself on him and . . . I just . . . I’m so sorry.”

She waved me off. “No big deal. I get it. If I were in your shoes, I’d probably have done the same thing. Maybe worse. I once caught my ex-boyfriend cheating on me and yanked off his plaything’s bad extensions.”

I laughed yet still felt nervous. “Thank you.”

Macie sipped her coffee. “So . . . how long have you two been seeing each other?”

I shook my head. “We aren’t. Well, not really. We just . . . The other night we . . . And then . . .”

Macie put her hand up. “No explanation needed. My brother-in-law is a complicated man. I miss my sister something fierce, and I know she and Sebastian loved each other. But I know she’d want him to move on. He’s grieved long enough. I couldn’t help but notice that you and Birdie really seem to have a strong bond.”

I smiled. “Yeah, I think we do. I lost my mom when I was little, about her age actually. So I feel like I can relate to a lot of what she’s going through . . . the simple things . . . not having a woman to go clothes shopping with her, do her hair, just have those moments a girl and her mom have.”

Macie frowned. “I should’ve come down more often the last few years.”

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to imply she didn’t have you.” I felt my face flush with embarrassment. “I just keep putting my foot in my mouth with you today.”

She smiled sadly. “It’s fine. I just feel bad because you’re a hundred percent right. Sometimes the truth hurts to hear, but that’s not your fault. My niece is missing out on those moments with her mother and should have a woman role model.” Her eyes searched my face. “I saw that in you today. She looks up to you.”

“She’s a great girl.”

Macie caught my gaze. “She is. And I take it you like her dad?”

It felt really odd to be having this conversation with his dead wife’s sister, but she was being so nice after I was a total jerk. So I was honest. I nodded. “He’s a really great guy and a special dad.”