Page 37 of Truth or Spare

“Hold on,” Theo shouted as he stepped around the wall, raising his hands apologetically. “I overheard some of that and I want to interruptbeforeyou share something that Brooks should have shared himself,” he said to Bryce, then raised an expectant brow at Dewey. “You should have told me I was being that much of a burden. I came here to help, not make things worse. Why didn’t you tell me you had a condition?”

Dewey let out a weary, irritated growl as he scrubbed his face. “Because it’s not that serious and I don’t want your pity,” he said, causing Theo to rear back.

“My pity? I don’t want to take advantage of a man with a condition or a disability but it would appear that I have been, without knowing it,” he countered. Theo wasn’t accustomed to the anger and disappointment simmering in his gut, and much of it was directed at himself. He was upset that Dewey had kept him in the dark about something serious, but Theo was mad at himself for not seeing that he was a burden or that Dewey was hiding something else.

“Jesus, it isn’t terminal and he makes it sound like I’m in agony. I’m not and I don’t want people thinking I can’t handle this place anymore.”

“No one thought that when Grandpa Gerry let you or Roddy work here,” Bryce argued. “Tell him or I will. Theo needs to know what pulling his weight is doing to you,” he added and Theo’s jaw fell, he was horrified.

“What is he talking about, Brooks?”

Dewey threw Bryce a hard look before dropping onto one of the stools and scrubbing his face again. His tattooed hands shook as they dropped to his lap. “I have myasthenia gravis and rheumatoid arthritis. It started a few years ago with my eyes, they’d get droopy and blurry. Then, speaking and chewing got hard when I was tired. Eventually, it moved down to my arms and legs. They get weak really fast and I get a lot of pain and swelling in my hands and wrists.”

“You don’t notice the difference because you haven’t known Doobie long enough,” Bryce said quietly, his eyes shimmering as he watched his uncle and lifelong hero. “But Doobie used to juggle bowling balls like they were nothin’ and he could take apart and reassemble one of those pinsetters blindfolded. He’d do laps around this place on Friday and Saturday nights and he’d jump in if one of the teams was short a bowler. But he can barely pick up a ball these days and he’s afraid someone will catch on if they see him play.”

“I thought you were hiding a drinking problem,” Theo whispered apologetically, his brain finally connecting the dots. “The shaking hands and the occasional slurred word... I thought you were sleeping in the office because you were hungover.”

“You thought I was an alcoholic?” Dewey asked loudly, his jaw opening and closing as he blinked at Theo.

A snorting giggle burst from Bryce as he pointed at Dewey. “That’s way better than knowing you have an autoimmune disease,” he said sarcastically and rolled his eyes. “You’re so afraid of people thinking you’re weak or that you can’t run this place, and too afraid to tell a hot guy you’re sick, that you let him think you’re an alcoholic. Way to go, Doobie.”

“I didn’t do it because he’s hot, I—” Dewey said, squeezing his eyes shut and swearing. “And I didn’t know he thought I had a drinking problem.” He shook his head at Theo. “Seriously? You thought I was an alcoholic?”

Theo shrugged and held up his hands. “What would you think? Thisisserious, though, and Bryce is right: you need real help around here. Ruckzuck.I’m sorry I didn’t see it before, but I do now and I’ll make this right. Let’s go, Walter,” he said, then tapped his brow, excusing them and heading for the exit with Walter marching after him.

It didn’t matter how much it cost, Dewey would have competent help by the end of the week. Theo felt like an oblivious, pampered arse as he took out his phone and began searching for bowling alleys in larger, nearby cities. He had a good list started by the time he reached the Winnie and let Walter in.

“Time for bed,” Theo told him and Walter happily curled up on his bed, under the table.

“Hold on, Theo,” Dewey called, jogging to catch up before Theo closed the door.

Theo turned and grabbed the top of the jamb as he leaned out. “I’m going to make this right, you have my word.”

Dewey waved it off. “Make what right? You’re not the best at…most of the things we do around here, but you’re trying and youwantto help out. The kids I hired before you wouldn’t get off their phones and they had the attention spans of fruit flies.”

“No more wasting time. You needed help yesterday and I’m just making your life harder.”

“You're leaving?” Dewey asked, sounding alarmed before he swung away and muttered at himself for being a desperate idiot.

Theo didn’t like the thought of leaving any more than Dewey did and immediately dismissed it. “Nee.Not for a while, but this isn’t sustainable. You never should have hired me.”

A hard grunt wafted from Dewey. He shook his head and kicked at a crack in the pavement. “It’s not like I had any other options and I haven’t minded the company,” he said with ashrug. His neck and his ears had turned red, another sign Theo had been oblivious too.

He’d assumed it was just regular, garden variety embarrassment or frustration. Theo assumed that a big bear like Dewey Brooks would be drawn to men who were more rugged and outdoorsy. If anything, Theo had assumed he was too pampered and incompetent to catch Dewey’s eye, and that he mostly got on his nerves.

“You could have saved us both a lot of trouble if you would have just admitted you liked me, Brooks. And you can admit you want to kiss me again,” Theo teased as he hopped out and Dewey spun back to him, a brow rising warily.

“I never said—” he started, gulping as Theo advanced on him. Dewey shuffled back a few steps, raising a hand.

Theo slowed, giving him a questioning look. “You don’t like me?”

“No.” It was a dry rasp and Dewey licked his lips, his eyes huge as they locked on Theo’s.

“You don’t?” Theo asked, earning a rapid, jerky nod from Dewey and he took a few more steps toward the bowling alley’s side exit. “Halt,” Theo commanded gently and braced his hands on his hips. “I haveneverchased anyone and I don’t intend to. Do you like me or not, Brooks?” he asked slowly and clearly.

Dewey shook his head again, but his eyes dropped to Theo’s shoes. “I don’tlike you, Theo. I’m obsessed and my body aches for you, in ways I didn’t know about until you showed up. All I think about now is kissing you and I wish you’d put me out of my misery,” he added in a rushed mumble.

“Misery?” Theo whispered as he reached for Dewey’s beard. He started to back away again but Theo captured his jaw and his wrist. Theo placed Dewey’s hand on his chest, so he could push back if they got too close or he got overwhelmed. Theo shushedsoftly as he stepped closer and lowered his head, letting their noses and lips brush. “No more misery, I promise.”

---