I don't want to be a dad at 40 and my girlfriend of 1 year does, but says she'll make it work without the kids. How can we make it work?

I'm 41 now and I've only recently learned that I don't want to have kids. I thought I wanted them and when I was younger I'd had my whole life planned out and kids were in the picture. Buying a house, getting a dog, and then kids by the time I was 40. Things didn't work out exactly as planned, I don't want to have kids and my dog passed away about 2 years ago, but I've found this really great girlfriend that I'm not in love with her just yet, but I can see a future together.<br><br>She has a 12 year old daughter and her parents will move in with us this summer. She's been really great about being the stepmom of the dog and I know she'll be a great stepmom to the dog we'll get this Summer. My parents will still be around so we'll probably be able to get a babysitter for our dog once in a while.<br><br>I told her about my decision not to have kids and she says she is okay with being childfree as long she can keep her daughter. I don't know what kind of questions to ask her to make sure our relationship works out.<br><br>What questions should I ask so we can make our relationship work?<br><br>Edit: "Stepmom of the dog" means the dog is/was treated like one of the kids.