Page 58 of Jonah


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“I’m aware of your mother’s best qualities.” The unspokenand worst qualitiesstood out in the silence that followed.

Graham took a deep breath and glanced between us. As we’d sat down, we’d automatically put him in the middle of us. When we both gave him encouraging smiles, he focused back on his father. “Did you know she signed me up for a matchmaking service?”

His father’s wince said it wasn’t a surprise. “I thought that was a passing idea. I’m assuming she continued with it without my blessing?”

“That’s what it looks like.” Graham sighed. “It’s unacceptable.”

His father jumped in. “She just wants to make sure you’re happy.”

“No. She wants to make sure I’m obedient and she’s decided it’s time for me to settle down. If she wanted me happy, she’d have talked to me about my life and asked me what I want.” Graham leaned back on the couch and seemed to be warming up to his speech.

“She didn’t ask if I wanted to settle down. She didn’t ask if I was ready or even willing to think about the idea of dating someone. She just signed me up and started giving my personal information to strangers.” Graham was confident about that because I’d asked Austin’s hacker buddy to search for the matchmaking site this morning.

Graham’s picture and details were on their system, along with his income and physical stats. It was unnerving. Austin’s buddy assured us he could have it all down in seconds when we gave him the go-ahead. Evidently, the company’s cybersecurity sucked.

His father was still in full excuses mode. “I’m sure she just got—”

“It’s not helpful or because she cares, Dad. It’s controlling and frankly creepy.” He paused to let that sink in. “It’s unacceptable.”

“We both just want you happy.” It was all his father seemed to focus on.

He could excuse a lot of crazy if he thought she was going to end up making their kids happy.

Graham snorted. “Then how about trusting me when I say I am happy? And how about listening to me with an open mind? It’s been years since I talked to you about my personal life because neither of you really care.”

His father tried to jump in, frowning, but Graham cut him off again. “She’s so obsessed with omega rights and acceptable alpha behavior she doesn’t seemeanymore.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way.” Graham’s father seemed lost. “I don’t know what you expect me to do.”

“Stopping her from meddling in my personal life would be a start.” Graham spoke evenly, but I could feel the stress building in him again. “Let her know it’s not acceptable and not necessary. I’m very happy with my life and have wonderful relationships. Honestly, anyone else would just be too much at this point.”

Then he quietly but boldly reached out and took our hands.

His father just blinked at us.

The man was polite but really dense.

Finally,he looked down at our joined hands. “Relationships? Are you dating Jonah?”

Veryverydense.

“Yes, Russ and I are in a serious relationship with Jonah. Jonah’s moving in next week.” Still holding our hands, Graham leaned over and kissed my cheek.

“That’s very nice.” The response seemed to come out automatically because he skipped a beat before he continued. “Russ?”

Graham was trying to be polite, but I could see him fighting the urge to roll his eyes. His dad wasn’t connecting the dots very well. “Yes, we’ve been in a relationship for years, but we’ve been looking for a third.”

“An omega.” His dad started nodding, then stopped and stared. “Years?”

Graham took another long breath. “Dad, we’ve been living together for over fifteen years and we were planning our future for several years before that. What did you think we were doing?”

They hadn’t at least suspected something?

“Well, you’re friends.” He looked back and forth between them, then down at their clasped hands. “Your alpha great-grandfather on my side had a close friend that he lived with for years, and even when he got married his friend moved in right next door. They were very supportive and worked together for years at his grocery store before it closed.”

Very, veryinnocenttoo, then.

“Really?” Graham seemed shocked. “This is the first time I’m hearing of him.”