Page 73 of The Don’s Omega

His mouth twists. “Anyway, that ship has sailed.”

I frown. “Why?”

He shrugs. “I wasn’t able to go to college to get a degree. Without a degree in restaurant management, I’m not qualified to be anything but a bartender.”

“Maybe you don’t have a degree, but that doesn’t have to be the end of your dream.”

He squints at me like I’m crazy. “Yes it does.”

“I don’t agree,” I say softly as an idea begins to form. “Your interest seems to lie in managing the operation. You don’t sound like you’re interested in the construction side of things.”

“No. That side wasn’t interesting to me.”

“You could still be a restaurant consultant of some kind.”

He laughs. “Yeah, and while I’m at it I’ll be an astronaut.”

“I’m serious, Elio. You could consult.”

He scowls. “No I can’t. I don’t have a degree.”

“So? Who cares whether you have a degree or not?”

He leans forward. “Employers care.”

“Depends on the employer.”

He opens his mouth as if to argue, but then closes it. A cynical expression descends. “I forgot who I’m talking to. Of course you’re not overly concerned with doing things legally. You probably pay all your consultants under the table.”

I bristle at the dig. “I do not.”

He arches one brow but says nothing.

I laugh. “I’m serious. Yeah, I do plenty of illegal things, but that’s only because too many things are illegal that shouldn’t be.”

“Yeah, those poor hitmen and drug dealers shouldn’t have so many restrictions on them.” He rolls his eyes and grabs his drink.

His insolence should piss me off, but for some reason I find it more amusing than anything. “Granted, I do bad shit, Elio. But when it comes to hiring consultants or designers or gardeners or regular things, I do that all legally.”

He narrows his eyes. “Why? Because you have to have some legal enterprises to hide your crooked ones behind?”

I grin. “Well, yeah, actually.”

“I knew it.” He shakes his head.

I sigh, trying not to let him get to me. “Look, we’re getting off track. I’m trying to tell you that you can still have a career in the field you’re interested in without a degree. You didn’t go to college, but you have on-the-job experience.”

“Serving drinks, not consulting for restaurants.”

“I would argue your on-the-job training is more valuable to the right employer than some dumb degree.”

He looks skeptical. “I don’t know about that.”

“You’re wrong.”

He laughs gruffly. “I don’t think I am.”

I study him, tapping my finger distractedly against the tabletop. “I suppose it should come as no surprise to me that you undervalue yourself. You might have the lowest self-esteem of any omega I’ve ever met.”