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“Exactly right.” My father nodded, taking my mate’s hand in his, squeezing gently. “But you, as I said, you’re going to be building, so you will want to learn everything about the business, our business, and take over once I retire. Of course, you’ll need to take care of your family as well, so everything has worked out precisely as it should have.”

“It certainly has,” Deacon agreed, glancing at me, then back at my father.

“You do want to learn about construction and real estate development, don’t you, son?”

“Yes, sir, I very much do.”

“And an alpha,” my father said, exhaling deeply, “like me.”

Just like him. I couldn’t help but smile. What worked out best, in my opinion, was that my interest in building was absolutely zero. I wanted to own my own auction house someday, so I was good exactly where I was.

“You do realize, of course, that if your son wanted to take over for you, sir, he could. He would do an amazing job running your company, as he’s quite capable and is multitalented. There’s no doubt he’d do very well.”

My father looked over at me. “Would you ever want to do that?”

I met his gaze. “No. The construction business is no place for an omega that no one would listen to. Deacon is a far better choice than me. More importantly, I love art, so my talents would be wasted there.”

He nodded.

Turning to my mate, I stared into his beautiful eyes, loving that he had said all that to my father, and more importantly, believed every word he’d spoken. He was truly my champion in all ways.

“When are you getting married?” my mother asked, far more interested in that than anything else.

“After Thanksgiving,” I told her.

“Oh, that’s soon. I better start planning. And we need somewhere to move into.”

“What about my house? Deacon and I found a cottage we love, but, Dad, you said how charming my home is, and my neighbors told me that they’re putting their place, next door, on the right, up for sale, so you could buy it and attach them if you wanted. But in the meantime, you can move in. We’re hiring movers this week.”

“How perfect. I love your little home,” she told me in the same breath as she ordered my father to make inquiries about the house next door. It would be quite the home when my father was done with it, I was certain. Or maybe it would be him and Deacon, their first project together; that was certainly possible.

The next morning, on that Monday, when Deacon was released, he did exactly what he’d said he would and had me drive him downtown to the bank. He wanted to be the one behind the wheel, but he’d just gotten out of the hospital, so he would be chauffeured around for the immediate future, and there would be no arguments about it.

“Fine,” he grumbled, but he looked a bit pleased at the same time.

I went into the bank with him so we could open a joint account and he could put my name on the safety-deposit box, giving me access.

Once we were alone together in the small room, he opened the box and showed me a stack of bearer bonds his grandfather had left him, papers for his trust, an antique pocket watch he’d received in his grandfather’s will, and an enormous forty-carat sapphire brooch Graeme had made for him to show his place in his family that he wouldn’t be caught dead wearing.

“You were wearing one the night I found you in the street.”

“That’s the small one I made that’s not gaudy.”

“You have to wear this one,” I admonished him. “Graeme would appreciate that. It’s beautiful like the one he made for Linny.”

“Linny’s is not ridiculous like this one.”

“I think it’s incredible and befits your station.”

“Are you looking at it?” he asked with a grimace. “It’s an eyesore.”

“Give it to me,” I ordered, and he passed it over so I could put it in my messenger bag. “I’ll put it on your nightstand at home, and you’ll wear it every day going forward.”

He muttered something under his breath.

“I didn’t hear you.”

“I said fine,” he grumbled, then made a show of going through what was in the box. “I think there’s some other––”