Page 11 of Truth or Spare

“Time for you to get,” Dewey told Cassie when he returned from the workshop. He gave her hair an affectionate kiss before shoving her toward the doors. “Unless you want me to put you to work,” he threatened, making Cassie roll her eyes.

“I’m headed to the salon. Two perms and a blue rinse today, but I’ll see you tomorrow night, Theo,” she said as she left them.

“She usually mans the front desk on league night,” Dewey explained with a nod at the lunchbox. “Hungry?”

Theo’s stomach growled in answer and he laughed as he clutched it. “Starving! All I’ve had since I got off the bus yesterday is some Doritos and pastries from the little convenience store across the street.”

“You should have said something,” Dewey scolded, throwing open the lid and removing a foil-wrapped bundle. “Here, this will fill you up and hold you until supper.”

“Is this the famous meatloaf sandwich?” Theo asked and Dewey chuckled as he removed another foil bundle, then passed Theo a chocolate muffin, an apple, and some corn chips that had been packed in a Ziplock bag.

“She makes a killer meatloaf and her sandwiches are the only thing that gets me out of bed some mornings,” Dewey said absently while unscrewing the Thermos’s cap. “And good, strong coffee,” he added as he poured and offered it to Theo.

“Why haven’t you married her, if she’s so keen?” Theo asked before taking a sip and letting out an appreciative groan. “I generally don’t enjoy American coffee but that’s very nice.”

“I love Cassie, but I’m never gonna love her like that. I’d be wasting her time and mine.”

“I suppose…” Theo said with a twist of his lips as he unwrapped his foil bundle. “Lots of people have settled for less and been happier,” he observed.

“I’d never let her settle,” Dewey said with a dismissive grunt and bit into his sandwich.

“I’ve never tried one of these,” Theo confided, ambivalent as he considered the ample sandwich within the foil. A crusty, round roll dripped with a red glaze and melted orange cheese. Theo appreciated the slices of tomato and onion and crispy lettuce leaves, but the thick slab of meat “loaf” gave him pause. “We have Hackbraten or Falscher Hase in Austria, but I am not very fond and I don’t like when a boiled egg is hidden in my food,” he complained with a shiver. “Why anyone would want that, I don’t know. But I believe our meatloaves are very different from your American meatloaf and I’ve never tried it on a sandwich.”

Dewey chewed slowly, then wiped his mouth with a piece of paper towel. “It’s just some meatloaf on a hoagie roll, Theo. Stop overthinking and eat it. You haven’t had a decent meal in days.”

“Geht klar!” Theo held up the sandwich before taking a large bite. He chewed and his eyes watered at the burst of savory bliss. “Donnerwetter! That’s…” Theo took another large bite, moaning loudly and hugging his sandwich as he savored a cheesy, meaty, oniony, sweet, and slightly spicy mouthful. “That’s heaven on a Brötchen!”

“Told you. I keep telling Cassie she could sell these if she had a food truck or her own shop out by the base. She got a little money after her dad passed and I offered to help if she didn’t have enough, but she refused.”

“Why?” Theo asked loudly, sounding disappointed.

“She said I’ve already done too much and that she was holding onto that money for Bryce, so he could start his own business or buy his first house.”

“Das ist doch Quatsch!”

“Quatsch?” Dewey asked. He could guess what the first part meant and had been curious about ‘Quatsch.’ Theo had already used it several times.

“It means…nonsense?” Theo paused, then nodded. “It is nonsense. I might have to marry Cassie,” Theo mused and went to take another bite but Dewey’s hand locked around his wrist.

“Don’t even fuckin’ think about it, unless you can carry her off to someplace better and treat her like a princess. Cassie deserves the world and I’ll break every bone in your body if you hurt her.”

“Verstanden!” Theo said without hesitating. “I could tell as soon as we met that she was off limits, but I wouldn’t dream of hurting Cassie,” he said, utterly sincere, but Dewey stared him down.

“She isn’t off limits if you’ve got your shit together and you’re ready to make her the center of your universe. That’s never been me and something tells me that you’re not the stable, marrying type.”

“In the past, no,” Theo confirmed. “I had other obligations and responsibilities and I refused to split my loyalty. Now, that might be just the thing I need.”

“Figure that out first, before you drag Cassie or anyone else into it.”

Theo nodded. “That’s good advice and it’s exactly why I’m here. Although, this sandwich might be another reason fate wanted me to come to Oslo,” he said as he admired the wonder Cassie had created for him, then glanced at Dewey’s sandwich. “Are you going to eat that?” he asked and Dewey cut him a hard look.

“Did you miss the part about me breaking every bone in your body? Don’t even think about touching my sandwich, Theo.”

He had meant to be intimidating, but Theo’s conversation with Cassie had revealed that beneath that gruff, grumblingexterior, Dewey was actually a gentle, generous, and innatelygoodman. And if Theo had asked nicely, Dewey would probably have given him the sandwich. He was simply the kind of man that would give you the shirt off his back or the sandwich from his lunchbox.

Thatwas almost as delicious as Cassie’s meatloaf sandwich, but Dewey was just as off limits as she was.

Chapter Six

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