“Sure. Of course. I sort of figured that’s what you’d meant. But I didn’t explain it to Birdie because obviously it wasn’t my place to tell her that her father was just cruising for a hookup.”
Sebastian dragged a hand through his hair. “There haven’t been too many. I don’t want you to think . . .”
I put my hands up. “No explanation needed. We’re adults. With needs. Trust me, I get it.” I laughed nervously. “Or maybe I understand since I don’t get it enough.”
Sebastian cracked a smile. “Dry spell?”
“The profiles of the people who like my online dating profile look like a sex-offender registry.”
We both laughed.
“Yeah, it’s not easy,” he said. Sebastian’s eyes dropped to do a quick sweep over my body and then rose to meet mine again. Finding that I’d just watched him check me out, he cleared his throat. “So . . . when can you come again?”
Interesting choice of words.
“How about the same time next week?”
“That’d be great. And thanks for letting me know about Birdie’s snooping. I really appreciate it.”
“Of course. See you next week.”
I walked down the front stairs and toward the corner. With every step, I had the strongest urge to look back and see if Sebastian was watching me. When I reached the end of the block, before I turned, I gave in and looked back. Sebastian hadn’t moved from the spot I’d left him.
I sighed to myself. Yeah. It’s not easy out there. But I wouldn’t mind climbing that man like a tree.CHAPTER 13
SEBASTIAN
“She’s pretty, isn’t she?”
“Hmm?” I pretended not to hear the question that Magdalene had just hit me with. We were alone in the kitchen right after Sadie and Birdie had left to head to the park with Marmaduke.
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.