Page 21 of Truth or Spare

Dewey’s eyes snapped open and his body jumped on the stool. “I’m awake!” he said and caught Theo’s cheek. He held it, frozen as he stared back at Theo.

“I thought you might have fallen under a spell,” Theo teased and sighed dramatically as he straightened.

Dewey’s head cocked and his brow furrowed. “You were gonna kiss me?”

“Was I?” Theo asked as he handed Dewey the remote. “I think the battery’s dead.”

“Let me take a look,” he said, rising from his stool. He coughed softly when his chest nearly bumped Theo’s.

“Entschuldige, bitte!” Theo said and took a step back, giving him more room to work. It only took a moment to open the back of the remote and replace the batteries, but Theo noticed that Dewey’s hand trembled around the screwdriver’s handle.

“Here you go,” Dewey said once it had been reassembled and passed it back to Theo. He discreetly shook out his hand before reaching for his cap. It was turned and tugged on backwards as Dewey hunkered over what looked like an arm from one of the pinsetters. “Don’t you have the day off?” he asked, dismissing Theo.

“Yup! Thought I’d hang around and listen to music!” Theo said as he waved the remote and backed away. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked, keeping his tone gentle and encouraging, only to earn a hard snort.

“I’m fine, Theo. Let me know if someone shows up.”

“Okay, boss!” Theo said cheerfully before excusing himself. “Oh! Cassie came by with our lunch. Meatloaf sandwiches and chocolate muffins.”

“Great. I’ll be there once I get this fixed,” Dewey mumbled as he worked.

“Great.”

It wasn’t exactly ideal, but Theo was there to help keep the Brooks Family Bowling ship running smoothly until its captain was ready to own up to his other problem and ask for help. They were getting along rather nicely, all things considered, and Theo thought he was finally getting the hang of the bowling alley business.

“Maybe I should stay and marry Brooks,” he joked as he headed back to the office to arrange their lunch. They often ate together and Theo felt like an honorary American as he sipped on a Coca-Cola and watched regional football highlights with Dewey.

Oddly enough, Theo didn’t find the idea of marrying Dewey all that laughable and there was a definite appeal. He had a feeling he’d miss their quiet lunches and Cassie’s heavenly sandwiches. He rather enjoyed his chats with old Keith and flirting with the blue hairs. And Theo could do a lot worse than alarge, handsome man with a gentle heart and an extremely dry wit.

“I wonder what Brooks would have to say about that,” Theo said and laughed as he imagined Dewey’s reaction. “He probably wouldn’t say much of anything, actually.”

Chapter Ten

Theo’s first week had been merely confusing and a cakewalk compared to his second week in Oslo, Dewey was finding. Lane 5 was down for half a day—when Dewey hadjustgot it working again—until Theo realized where he had lost his bracelet. Dewey didn’t know who David Yurman was but was glad that Theo wasn’t too upset about it getting crushed and that the pinsetter’s elevator drive shaft wasn’t broken.

While the bowling alley had been unusually busy, most people weren’t interested in bowling. They were there to get a closer look at Dewey’s new employee and tenant and to speculate about any possible romantic developments between them. Dewey would be the last person to complain about extra traffic in the bowling alley—he was selling a ton of candy and had to call his vendors for early deliveries of snacks and drinking cups—but he would’ve preferred he wasn’t the main attraction.

Cassie and Keith were to blame. Of course.

She was telling everyone that she was on a mission and wouldn’t let Theo slip through Dewey’s fingers. Keith was telling everyone that Dewey had new rules at the bowling alley for Theo.

“No. That’s not true,” Dewey told Pete Barber as he was ringing the older man up. Pete ran a hardware store and was a pastor. “Theo can sit anywhere he wants. Keith is full of shit.”

“I didn’t think that was right or the sort of thingyou’ddo, but Theo is European and all.”

Dewey stared at the married businessman, irritated and offended. On his own behalf and Theo’s. “No one said Theo had to sit on my face. That’s not allowed and why would I even want him to?”

“Well—”

“Thank youfor visiting Brooks, Pete. Have a great night,” Dewey said, cutting him off with a horrified look.

Pete held up his hands, laughing. “I heard a song about it the other day on TikTok. Thought it was just the sort of thing you did while you were visiting foreign places, like Paris or Amsterdam. Everyone’s trying everything these days,” he explained.

Dewey’s head hurt like hell, thanks in part to Pete, and he was wiped out from an extra busy Saturday night. “I’m not and no one’s sitting on anyone’s face in this alley. I can’t believe I have to say that,” he muttered, shaking his head and hitching a thumb at the doors. “Go home and stay off of TikTok, Pete.”

“Where are your pores?” Cassie asked Theo, her arm around his as they returned from checking the restrooms.

“I may have had a laser treatment or two,” he whispered loudly. “I always double cleanse before bed and my brother put me on the best retinol serum a few months ago.”

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