Page 36 of Truth or Spare

“He’s thirty-six. How old are you, Theo?” Bryce snapped, stunning him again.

“I’m… I’ll be thirty-nine soon. I thought Brooks was a bit older.”

“And I was hoping you’d be a bit smarter. I’m going to check all the pinsetters and make sure they’re good on hydraulic fluid.”

With that, Bryce handed Theo the spray and the towel and left. Theo was glad that Bryce had given him a large, yet simple task to do. He needed to think and decipher the clues that Bryce had given him.

Almost anyone would understand if Dewey had a drinking problem. Theo had assumed that Cassie and Bryce knew, and like him, had done their best to cover for Dewey and care for him. And he had assumed that they were also afraid of injuring Dewey’s pride by mentioning it. How did you tell the person who carried everyone else on his back that it was time to get help?

Was it alcohol, Theo suddenly wondered. Was it alcohol and something else? Theo was beginning to suspect that there had to be something else. He had certainly seen enough tipsy bowlers in his time at Brooks to know that a drinking problem wouldn’t prevent Dewey from bowling and keeping the balls on the stand clean and organized.

And why was Bryce upset with Theo?

“What the hell is going on around here and what have I done?”

Chapter Sixteen

The last of the pins finally fell after the alley had closed. Theo was biding his time and had planned to gently confront Dewey but Bryce handled that in his efficient, cut-the-bullshit manner as well.

Theo saw Bryce following Dewey back to the workshop and went to add his support but halted when he heard Bryce groan. “Seriously, Doob! Walter can stay but Theo has to go.”

“Theo? Why? He’s not hurting…much,” Dewey said and Theo’s head cocked warily, not liking how resigned Dewey sounded or thathewas Bryce’s first concern.

“You promised me you’d findrealhelp and he ain’t it! I think Theo’s a great guy and he’s awesome with the customers, but you need someone who can cover for you. Your condition isn’t getting better and you’re completely wrung out. I can tell it’s because you’re babysitting Theo and fixing his messes instead of doing less around here.”

“He’ll get it. Eventually,” Dewey muttered, earning a hard snort from Bryce.

“Eventually? After you hurt yourself and can’t work at all anymore?” he said dryly and there was a dismissive grunt from Dewey. Bryce made a sympathetic hissing sound. “Listen, I knowhow lonely you’ve been and that it’s…impossible to date up here. Like, at all.”

“What?” Dewey replied flatly but Bryce laughed and it sounded like he had begun to pace.

“We’ve all been worried and hoped you’d find someone cool. And I think Theo would be awesome, but I don’t know if he’s good enough or really interested in dating a decent guy like you.”

“What?”This time, it came out louder and Dewey cleared his throat, a warning Theo hoped Bryce would appreciate.

“Come on, Doobie,” Bryce urged in a whisper. “Mom said you were falling for him and I thought she was imagining things or it was wishful thinking, but it’s so obvious!”

It wasn’t to Theo. He still wondered if Dewey actually liked him or if he was just putting up with him because he needed the help.

“You’re both full of shit,” Dewey snapped back and Bryce laughed.

“You won’t let him touch a thing back here and it takes forever for Theo to ring people up because he gets confused by our coins. I don’t think he’s ever had a job before, but you don’t have time to break him in and you can’t afford to keep an employee who can’t do the workyou desperately need him to do.”

“It ain’t like that,” Dewey protested, but from where Theo was standing, it soundedexactlylike that.

“Then, what is it? He’s been here for almost a month and you’re falling apart. He hasn’t gotten the hang of it and I can’t even tell if he’s taking this seriously.”

“It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“Have you told him?” Bryce asked, then swore and something was slammed. “You should have told him, Doobie!”

“Nah. It doesn’t matter and I don’t want him—or anyone—feeling sorry for me or thinking I’m helpless.”

“Nobody thinks—” Bryce started but Dewey cut him off.

“Because nobody but you and Cassie and my doctor knows and that’s the way I want it.”

That was Theo’s cue to reveal himself because he didn’t want to violate Dewey’s privacy any more than he already had and hereallydidn’t like what he was hearing.

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