Truth or Spare (Princes Take New York #2)

Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

D ewey should have known that Theo was up to something when he insisted they meet in the bowling alley at 7:30, instead of out back by the Winnie.

“Well! Look at you!” Cassie said when Dewey arrived, whistling loudly.

“Don’t—!” Dewey swatted for her to keep it down but it was too late, several heads swiveled in their direction. “Damn it, Cass. You just saw me an hour ago.”

She had given his hair and beard a trim in the women’s restroom before Dewey went home to shower and change into his “good” jeans and the new sweater she had left hanging on his bedroom door. The V-neck was soft and a pretty shade of dark purple. Dewey would never have picked something that nice on his own and hoped it worked with the darker jeans and his black boots.

“I can’t wait until Theo gets here. He’s going to faint when he sees how well you clean up.”

“Stop it.”

“Make me,” she countered and stuck out her tongue. “Dinner’s in the oven and the table’s all set. All you have to do is light the candles, pour the wine, and be yourself.”

“Be myself,” he repeated, grimacing. “You all put a lot of effort into tonight and I’m going to wreck it just by showing up,” he predicted as he considered his ensemble. Apparently, the cashmere sweater was going to be birthday present but Cass had decided his date with Theo was a bigger occasion. He looked up when he heard whistles and cheers.

“Holy smokes!” Cassie was standing upright and leaning against the counter but almost fell. She had to hold on as Theo strode toward them with a bouquet of hot pink roses while Walter marched proudly on a new leather leash.

Walter was dapper in a navy and pink argyle sweater vest, but Dewey also needed the counter for support because Theo looked breathtaking. Dewey was actually breathless and his face tingled as people clapped and shouted catcalls at Theo.

“Why’s he dressed…like that?” Dewey managed weakly, stunned by the sight of Theo in an impeccable navy suit and pink floral tie. His hair was swept back and his five-o’clock shadow made Dewey’s hands and lips itch, he couldn’t wait to touch and bite Theo’s chin and the corner of his jaw.

“For you,” Theo said when he reached them, holding out the roses to Dewey.

“Where did you get those?” Cassie blurted and pointed, but Theo just shrugged and smiled adoringly at Dewey.

“Brooks deserves only the best.”

Dewey shook his head and swallowed loudly. “I don’t. Not really,” he said, then swore when Cassie pinched him.

“You better hush, Doobie. He looks just like Prince Charming and that’s exactly what you deserve.”

“You look so handsome, Brooks,” Theo said to Dewey, tipping his head toward the door. “Shall we?”

“Shall we…?” Dewey was still stuck on the part where Prince Charming said that he , Dewey Morgan Brooks, looked handsome. “Pinch me again, Cass.”

“Go!” she ordered and gave his arm a sharp pinch.

“Ow!” He jumped and ran to get the door for Theo and Walter, giving her a curt nod on the way out. “Thanks, I think.”

“Have a nice night, you two!” She called after them.

“I’ll do my best,” Dewey said quietly and had to catch his breath as Theo and Walter waited by his truck. He was dizzy again, and Dewey ached, he wanted so desperately to keep them. He couldn’t fathom how he could be so lucky or why anyone thought he deserved it, but Dewey begged the universe to let Theo stay as he jogged around to the passenger side to get the door.

The drive down the street was too short for more than a few pleasantries, but Dewey had never felt as proud.

“Maybe we could go for a ride tomorrow, if the weather’s nice. The bowling alley will be closed and I should have given you a tour of Oslo weeks ago,” he said as he parked in front of his house.

“I’d love that,” Theo said and nodded at Walter, on the bench between them. “Looks like he enjoys going for drives.”

Dewey smiled at the dog, once again kicking himself for not getting one sooner. “A Sunday drive with you two… I can’t wait,” he said as he got out and Dewey was glad he was a large, heavy man. He would have floated away, he was so happy as he went around to get the passenger door.

“This is nice, Brooks,” Theo said as Dewey offered his arm.

He smiled at the house, seeing it as it was when he was a teenager. The lawn was a lush spring green and he heard his mother playing piano. There was a light on upstairs in Roddy’s room and Dewey could smell his dad’s chicken riggies. “I always thought so, but it’s all I know,” he said, then wondered if Theo only saw a simple A-frame with a wrap-around porch. “I’ve done my best to take good care of it.”

They climbed the steps and Dewey said another wish as he opened the door, hoping that this might be their home too one day.

“Thank goodness!” Theo whispered and crossed himself.

Dewey wasn’t sure what to make of that. “Thank goodness?”

Theo chuckled as he lowered to unclip Walter’s leash. “It’s a bit late to back out now. I’m pretty much locked in, unless you have hundreds of antique dolls or a taxidermy fetish. But this is all…rather tasteful,” he said with a delighted laugh, gesturing at the simple teak living room furniture and the long, oval dining table.

Dewey’s grandparents had splurged on the set in the city, when they were newlyweds. It had held up surprisingly well and Dewey had reupholstered the chairs and sofa with a simple denim fabric the summer before his arms and hands started bothering him.

“The antique dolls are in my parents’ old room and I keep my taxidermy collection in the attic. It’s drier up there,” Dewey said, making Theo choke on a startled gasp.

“Ja?” he asked hoarsely.

“No, there’s nothing like that,” Dewey said flatly. “ I moved into my parents’ old room when Cass and Bryce needed a place. They stayed here for about five years, until Cassie bought a house over on Baker Street. I packed up all of Dad’s fishing trophies and Mom’s knick-knacks and pictures are up in the attic in case Bryce ever wants any of it.”

Theo grinned sheepishly. “I do have a habit of assuming the worst, but I think it’s because you’re so…quiet and keep so much in here.” He tapped on Dewey’s forehead, then swayed closer and pecked at his lips. “But I like what I’ve seen so far and I’m in, even if this evening includes an intimate demonstration of your incredible train collection.”

“Nope. Don’t have one of those either.”

“Whew!” Theo wiped his brow and laughed. “That one has actually happened to me. There is something very sinister and ominous about two grown, naked men, eating caviar and ice cream on the floor, with a train and an entire circus menagerie circling them.”

“Jesus. What?” Dewey asked, horrified.

Theo widened his eyes at Dewey and shuddered. “Let’s save that for another day,” he suggested.

“Okay.” Dewey gestured for Theo to follow him to the kitchen. “Cassie made something called ‘Marry Me Chicken’ and told me not to let it sit too long. She said the sauce and the pasta will get gross and then it won’t work.”

“I cannot wait to try this!”

“I tasted the sauce. It’s good, but I wouldn’t propose,” Dewey said and turned, halting Theo before they got any closer to the stove. “Whatever you do, resist the urge. I just got you to stop asking.”

“I cannot make any promises,” Theo said seriously, then notched his chin at the stove. “Let’s see this chicken.”

Dewey removed two plates and unwrapped the foil, revealing their dinners with an impressed chuckle. “I’d buy that in a restaurant,” he said as he admired the thin strips of basil sprinkled over the sauce.

“Ach so! This is a pasta dish!” Theo said excitedly. “Pasta is my favorite and what I make the most for my brothers.”

“I love pasta.” Dewey was encouraged to find they had another thing in common. And he could make pasta without embarrassing himself. He had at least a dozen boxes of Barilla noodles in the pantry and considered showing Theo.

“Italian food and pasta is…home food,” Theo explained. “Austrian food, for me, is more formal and can be heavier. And the things I like are a lot of work. Mamma cooked mostly Italian food, obviously, so I know how to cook what she taught us and I mostly made whatever my brothers would eat.”

“I haven’t tried a lot of Italian food, other than the basics: pizza, pasta, spaghetti, lasagna… But I like those. I’m not that picky,” Dewey said, making Theo look sad.

“I don’t think those things you tried were very Italian. The pizza here is strange. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it.” His face twisted as he shook his head. “Americans make a big deal about how much they love pizza but you get it so very wrong. Even in New York City.”

Dewey made a sympathetic sound. “We didn’t get a Pizza Hut in Oslo until I was a teenager so I didn’t eat a lot of pizza as a kid. I’ve always thought it was just okay.”

“No, no, no, no, no…” Theo covered his face, whimpering. “Even the Pizza Huts in Europe are terrible. I will try, if I can get the ingredients. If not, I will take you to Italy soon so you can see what a pizza really is.”

“We’ll see…” Dewey chuckled as if Theo had made a joke but feared he was being serious. “What kinds of things do real Italians eat?”

“It depends.” Theo held up his hands. “Where we are from, in Umbria, we are known for our truffles and meats. But Leo is vegetarian, so we ate a lot of beans and lentils and pasta, obviously.”

Dewey’s head cocked. “He’s a vegetarian? I don’t know why, but that surprises me.”

“Leo is very concerned with the planet and its animals and the future,” Theo explained.

“We should all be concerned,” Dewey murmured and Theo pushed out a hard breath.

“I invite anyone who isn’t to spend an hour with Leo. He will make you concerned. But I love my brother more than I love this planet, so I’ve always done my best to help him in his quest to save it.”

“I love that about you. I mean, it’s really…great, or…you know…” Dewey said to his boots as he blushed and squirmed, then went to hide in the fridge. “Cass said there’s wine in here. Kind of need it now.” He opened the door and gasped at the bottle on the taller, middle shelf. She had already removed the cork and stuffed a wad of paper towels in its place so Dewey wouldn’t have to ask Theo to open the wine. “Thanks, Cass,” he said softly, making a note to be more patient with her and grateful that she cared so damn much.

He filled the glasses waiting on the counter and they toasted Cassie before carrying them to the table. Dewey pulled out a chair for Theo, then went to retrieve their plates. The candles she’d put out in the dining room were lit when he returned, making him wince as he set Theo’s plate in front of him.

“I didn’t even notice those, but I think I was supposed to light them before we sat down,” he confessed, but Theo waved it off.

“I spotted the long, clicky lighter by your fork,” he said quietly, draping his napkin over his lap like he was in a fancy restaurant. “This looks lovely!” He turned the plate as he admired it. First, Theo tried a bite of the chicken, humming in approval as he chewed. “Very nice. This is a lot of sauce, though,” he noted, but Dewey thought it looked like a normal amount. Theo’s brows pinched when he stuck a noodle with his fork, then brought it to his lips. He chewed and looked uncertain as he studied his plate, then glanced at Dewey. “This is a pasta dish?” he asked, sounding ambivalent.

“Is this not pasta?” Dewey asked as he inspected the noodle on his fork.

“Jein…” Theo shrugged, but Dewey could tell by the way his nose wrinkled that he wasn’t impressed.

“Is Barilla not pasta?” he asked, his hopes for the pantry plummeting. Theo had been happy with whatever Cass had served him in the past, but Dewey didn’t know how he’d feed Theo on their days off if Barilla wasn’t real pasta.

“Is that what this is?” Theo whispered and sounded scandalized.

Dewey frowned as he pictured the boxes on the shelves in his pantry. Cassie bought most of his groceries while she was buying hers and that was what she used. “Probably… Isn’t it Italy’s #1 brand of pasta?”

Theo coughed and shook his head. “I have seen the commercials and the ads because they are everywhere, but it is because Barilla is cheap and easy. My mamma would not buy that. She would just make the pasta,” he said, shrugging. “I will make the pasta from now on and I will show Cassie. But we will tell her this was a success and that I have proposed again.” He nodded as if the matter was settled before removing the napkin from his lap and draping it over the plate. “This wine is pleasant,” he said as he held up the glass, offering Dewey a salute and taking a long drink.

Dewey slid his glass next to Theo’s. “Have mine, too. I’m not much of a drinker. Just a few sips of beer now and then. I’m usually too tired, and I have to be careful with my meds,” Dewey explained, causing Theo to groan.

“I realize now, in hindsight, how…bescheuert it was to assume you had a drinking problem,” he said, but Dewey shook his head.

“I can see why you might have thought that and you were really sweet about it.” He reached for Theo’s hand and gave it a gentle, appreciative pat. “But I didn’t need that kind of intervention.”

“I’m so glad to have it all out in the open,” Theo said with a relieved sigh. “I can’t believe you told your nephew I took your maidenly virtue, though.” He leaned back in his seat, laughing incredulously. “I couldn’t be more proud of my man.”

“None of his business but I don’t want him thinking I’m scared.” Dewey muttered, rubbing his face against his shoulder as it grew warmer. “Of doing that or people knowing I might,” he added awkwardly. “I really like when you call me that.”

“My man?” Theo asked and Dewey nodded. He was too nervous and too turned on to eat so he slid his plate out of the way. He gathered both of Theo’s hands in his and nodded, feeling like a bashful, blushing oaf.

“Why don’t we take this someplace…more comfortable?” Theo suggested as he rose, pulling Dewey with him. “I’m not that hungry and I’d much rather play with my grumpy bear of a man,” he purred, towing Dewey from the room and toward the stairs.

Warmth and joy filled Dewey as they climbed. He had accepted that he would always be a big, tired oaf, but Theo made Dewey feel desirable and desired. There was no shame and Dewey felt safe enough to be vulnerable, to give his strong and stoic act a rest.

“I want to try the other…thing tonight—if I don’t lose my nerve—and I want to get a better look at this suit. I’d never wear anything this nice,” Dewey said as he smoothed the lapel of Theo’s coat. “But I’d really like to play with you in it and help you take it off.”

“I was hoping you’d like this.” Theo guided Dewey’s hand to one of the buttons and helped slide it free. “I wore a vest because you deserved all the dings and whistles.”

“Stop it,” Dewey chuckled, but he was flattered and mesmerized as his hand spread around Theo’s side. He felt like a gift, neatly wrapped in layers of the finest cotton, wool, and silk. The different textures and the smell of starch and Theo’s cologne combined to create an elegant, sensual Wonderland that Dewey wanted to explore with his hands and mouth. In fact… “Would this be weird?” he asked, lowering his head so he could lick the crisp white collar of Theo’s shirt along his neck. Then, Dewey bit into the coat’s padded shoulder, testing the thickness of the wool blend and the layers beneath.

“Not at all,” Theo purred as he guided Dewey up the stairs. “I’ve often thought that the mark of a good suit is its lickability,” he teased. “Even though, I had better look good enough to lick in something like this. The tailors at Loro Piana are extra…etepetete,” he explained with a wrinkle of his nose.

“Etepetete?” Dewey loved when Theo slipped and switched to German. He could usually guess what Theo was saying, but some words sounded too special to ignore.

“It is how we say…fussy? Persnickety?” Theo nodded. “Scheduling appointments for fittings is always a headache and they poke, and pinch, and hiss at you if you wear the wrong underwear.”

“For a suit you’re paying for?” Dewey confirmed, earning a faint hum as Theo undid the vest’s buttons and held it open, revealing a powder blue and gold paisley silk lining.

“It’s all about the details, when you’re dressing for a special occasion. The sapphire cufflinks are Cartier and used to belong to another prince.”

Dewey grabbed Theo’s wrist as they turned at the top of the stairs. He held it up for a closer look, gasping at the large sapphire. “Really?”

“Mmmhmm… Funny thing about being an aristocrat, it’s hard to hold onto the finer things without actual skills or talents unless you inherit a lot of money. Lots of European lords went broke when their empires fell and there weren’t colonies and commonwealths to exploit. They left behind generations of privileged but penniless heirs. Heaven help you if you are ‘lucky’ enough to inherit a castle.”

His delighted chuckle surprised Dewey. “You and your brothers really don’t like being royals,” he said but Theo seemed more interested in where they were going, his neck stretching to see around the bedroom door.

“We were made fun of, when we went to school with them, because everyone knew that we were broke and in exile. Secretly, I feel like a pirate and it gives me a tiny bit of closure when I use the money the Foundation pays me to buy their pretty baubles at auction.”

“I’m so sorry,” Dewey said sincerely, reaching around Theo and widening the door. “But I like that you got the last laugh. See? No dolls. Just some basic oak furniture. Cassie ordered the blue comforter set from Macy’s for me. I replaced my grandparents’ old furniture about ten years ago, but I didn’t see the need to get anything special.”

“It is very basic,” Theo conceded. His soft laugh sounded relieved. He smiled over his shoulder at Dewey as he gave the top of the simple dresser an appreciative knock and went to look out the window. “But it’s very solid and tidy, like you. The bedding even reminds me of one of your flannel shirts. I like it.”

“I’m not attached to any of it,” Dewey said, stopping just short of telling Theo he could scrap it all and fill the room with classy antiques and fine linens. He pictured something more tailored and elegant like Theo and imagined it would be like waking up and falling asleep in one of his suits. “I might not mind something different.”

“You don’t have any neighbors out here,” Theo said before turning from the window. “It must be really quiet.”

Dewey nodded. “It’s nice after spending all day in a noisy bowling alley.”

“Not tonight.” Theo clicked his teeth regrettably, his eyes glowing with mischief and promise as he prowled toward Dewey. “I have a feeling it’s going to get very noisy in here.”