“Can I ask you something, Sadie?”

“Of course, anything.”

“Dad’s your boyfriend, right?”

“Yeah, I think he is. Why do you ask?”

“So . . . if Dad is your boyfriend and I call you Sadie, what would I call you if you and Dad got married someday?”

My hands had been weaving a bracelet and froze. “Umm. Dad and I aren’t getting married anytime soon.”

“I know. But if you do, what would I call you? Would I still call you Sadie?”

God, I had no idea what the right answer was to that question. “I’m not really sure, sweetie. I guess you, your dad, and I would sit down and talk about it all together. And it would probably come down to whatever you felt most comfortable with.”

“But you’d be my mom, right?”

Heaviness settled into my chest. This . . . this was the reason why I’d always felt so connected to Birdie. I knew what it was like to long for a mother.

“Well, your mom will always be your mom. Technically, if your dad and I got married, I’d be your stepmom. But I don’t have to be married to your dad for you to be special to me.” I leaned over and brushed my hand down Birdie’s hair. “You know you’re special to me, right, Birdie?”

She forced a smile, but I could see she was still troubled.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Well, what happens if you and Daddy don’t get married and you meet someone else and marry him?”

“Oh, honey.” I shook my head. “Please don’t worry about that.” It was on the tip of my tongue to say I’d always be here for her. I felt that strong of a connection to Birdie. But honestly, that kind of a commitment was something I’d need to run by Sebastian before making. I wouldn’t want to make her an important promise like that unless I knew I could absolutely keep it. “Would it be okay if we talked about this again another night? I want to think about some of the questions you asked me. Because they’re important questions, and I want to give you the right answers.”

Birdie smiled. “Sure.” She went back to weaving her friendship bracelet and then stopped again. “Sadie?”

“Yeah, sweetie?”

“As long as you’re going to be doing some thinking, I have another question.”

Oh boy. “Sure. What’s up?”

“How does Santa get into our house? Daddy puts one of those caps on our chimney so the squirrels don’t get in, remember?”

I laughed. “You’re filled with tough questions tonight. Let me give that one some thought, too.”

And just like that, our serious conversation was over and things went back to normal. An hour later, we packed away the arts and crafts, and Birdie went to get ready for bed. She brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas and then came back out carrying one of the bracelets she’d made.

“That one came out really nice. I think it’s my favorite of the five you made. You said it’s for your best friend, right?”

She nodded.

“What’s her name?”

Birdie held the bracelet out to me. “Her name is Sadie, silly. It’s for you.”

“Hey, sleepyhead.” Sebastian pushed a lock of my hair from my face. I must’ve fallen asleep on the couch watching TV.

I stretched my arms over my head. “What time is it?”

“Almost one. I’m sorry. I really need to find a new manager. I can’t keep doing this to you and Magdalene.”

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “It’s fine. I don’t mind at all.”

“I know you don’t. But I hate you trekking home at such a late hour. I was actually thinking earlier . . . Magdalene has slept over before, on nights that I had an event or an emergency at the restaurant. She slept on the pullout couch in my office. What if I talked to Birdie and told her that you’re going to stay over sometimes, at least on the nights I have to work late? I’ll sleep on the couch, and you can take my room.”

“That might be a good idea. But she couldn’t wake up to me in bed with you.”

He nodded. “I know. I’ll talk to her tomorrow.” Sebastian noticed the bracelet tied around my wrist and looped his finger through it, giving it a tug. “New jewelry?”

“Birdie and I did crafting tonight. She actually told me that she was making it for her best friend, and then right before she went to bed, she brought it out and gave it to me.”

He smiled. “My kid’s got good taste in women. She takes after her old man.”

“Yeah. I thought it was so sweet. She actually struck up an interesting conversation tonight.”

“Oh yeah? About what?”

“Well, first she wanted to know what she would call me if we got married.”

Sebastian’s brows jumped. “Shit. What did you say?”

“I basically sidestepped. I told her that if that happened, the three of us would sit down and have a conversation about it.”

Sebastian raked a hand through his hand. “Good call. I’m glad she asked you that and not me.”

“Then she asked me what would happen if we broke up and I met someone else and got married to him.”

He frowned. “Does she know something I don’t know?”

I laughed. “No. But I think she really wanted me to make a commitment to her that we’d stay friends, or whatever we are, even if things don’t work out between you and me. Loss is obviously weighing on her. For whatever reason, she’s concerned she might lose me, too.”

Sebastian sighed. “You’re the first woman she’s connected with since her mom died.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I realize that. That’s why I thought we should discuss it a bit before I made that kind of a promise to her.”

Sebastian’s gaze grew serious. “You want to promise her that you’ll always be friends, regardless of what happens between us?”

I nodded. “I do. I know I’ve only known her a few months, but she’s really special to me. I love her, Sebastian. So if you’d be okay with me keeping contact with her if we split up, no matter what—even if, say, you go out with someone else and she doesn’t like your ex-girlfriend coming around once in a while—then I’d like to make the promise to always be there for her.”

Sebastian swallowed. His eyes became glassy and he cupped both my cheeks. “Sadie Gretchen Bisset Schmidt, I freaking love you. I’ve known it for a while, but I was too chicken to admit it to myself. Yet you and my ten-year-old daughter are completely fearless with giving love.” He shook his head. “You both put me to shame. I wish I had half the balls you two do.”

My heartbeat quickened and warmth flooded my chest. “You really love me?”

“I do. I love you, Sadie.”

My hand covered my heart. “I love you, too, Sebastian. And I’ve known it for a while. In fact, I can prove it to you!”

The corners of his lips twitched. “How?”

I smiled from ear to ear. “Ich liebe dich!”

CHAPTER 27

SEBASTIAN

Saturday morning, the doorbell rang just as I was getting ready to leave for work.