Truth or Spare (Princes Take New York #2)

Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

T heir scenic tour of Oslo had only lasted an hour, even with Dewey taking a winding detour through the woods. Unlike many of the towns in Austria and the rest of Europe, Oslo didn’t have a central square or a market. There was merely a Main Street with a city hall and a few small businesses. There were five churches, though, and two gas stations and two restaurants that specialized in American breakfasts, burgers, and the local version of pizza.

Theo wasn’t impressed by the town’s mid-century architecture. The churches weren’t very pretty and didn’t have fantastic clocks like the towns he’d grown up in. The mountains weren’t as large and there weren’t many castles, but all the trees and the brisk, overcast weather reminded Theo so much of home. He seemed to make more sense there and felt more at ease in Oslo than he ever had in Manhattan.

He had returned to the Winnie to change and had once again side-stepped Matteo’s questions when Theo called to check in.

“Halt die Klappe, Theo! Das ist doch Unfug.” Matteo had declared. “What do you mean, you might not be returning? Bist du deppert?”

“I’ve made commitments and I have to think about what’s best for Walter.”

“That’s it. I’m calling Leo.”

Matteo hung up and Theo paced in the alley, waiting for Leo’s call and for Walter to conduct his affairs.

“Na! I. Am. Fine,” Theo stated slowly and clearly when he answered Leo’s call.

“I’m starting to worry too,” Leo said. “It’s not like you to be evasive and you should be itching to sneak into Cambridge to spy on Eli, right about now.”

Theo pushed out a hard sigh. “Das wei? ich… But he doesn’t want me there and he’d much rather check in with a text.”

“Are you sulking because they’re too busy for you? They’re not little boys anymore, Theolein.”

“Das wei? ich,” Theo shrugged. “I was sulking about that,” he admitted. “That’s why I left Manhattan, but I’m over it now and I think I’ve figured out what to do with myself.”

Leo humphed thoughtfully. “In Oslo, New York?” he asked, informing Theo that he had been located and that Leo was keeping his secret. For the moment. He would inform Matteo and order him to investigate if he had even an inkling that Theo was in trouble. “I could have found something for you here.”

“Ja, das wei? ich ,” Theo repeated and wrinkled his nose at Walter, waiting patiently by his droppings. “But you don’t need me either. I’m needed here and I like what I am becoming.”

There was a long pause before Leo sighed. “Very well. I’ll do my best to calm Matteo but he cannot believe you’d abandon him in Manhattan unless you were being held captive.”

“A month ago, he would have been right.”

“He doesn’t like it and he misses you.”

“Passt schon. He will be fine and I know you will be pleased. When I’m ready to explain.”

“And when will that be?” Leo asked, sounding slightly impatient.

Theo shushed as he pulled a used shopping bag from his pocket and went to tidy up after Walter. “Very soon. We are in the who’s-going-to-say-it-first phase but I am confident that we’ll be living together soon.”

“Oh! I see…” Theo heard Leo shift as if he had sat up suddenly. “After just a month? Are you certain?”

Theo’s brows pinched together. “You knew after a month at Schonbühel with Jonathon. Do not underestimate the magic of Oslo, New York,” he said, biting down on a giggle. The sandwiches were pretty fantastic and he had just guaranteed himself a lifetime supply of those fantastic sandwiches.

“You’re absolutely right,” Leo said and Theo caught a slight waver in his voice. “I wish you luck and I’m looking forward to meeting this Walter.”

“Oh, you are going to love Walter!”

The call ended shortly after that and Theo was enjoying his day off, reclining with the paper and a cup of Cassie’s coffee. They had informed Bryce of their plan to add a kitchen to the alley, but it was agreed to hold off on telling Cassie until after work so they could all celebrate properly. Theo smiled over the top of the paper, then at Walter when they heard laughter from the workshop.

“I haven’t given up on Chase staying and am hoping he’ll be too attached to leave by the end of the week,” he confided, but the dog huffed wearily and closed his eyes. “You’ll see.”

If Theo had his way, he’d hire two employees like Chase. He wasn’t sure how long it had been since Dewey could forget about the alley for an evening, but the effect was truly remarkable. Dewey was relaxed and playful all Sunday and he was whistling as he made his Monday morning rounds.

Theo had run out to the Winnie with Walter to change their clothes while Dewey and the boys opened the alley. They had stopped by for an overnight bag for Theo and Walter after their Sunday drive, but Theo had opted to leave his clothes. He reasoned that it was easier living out of one Winnie-sized suitcase instead of two and would just change there until they were ready to move it all to Dewey’s.

They hadn’t officially discussed the matter yet. So much had changed in just a few days and Dewey was still adjusting to the fact that Theo was a wealthy royal and they still hadn’t come up with a long-term solution for the bowling alley. That was Theo’s priority because he wanted Dewey to always be as relaxed and happy as he was when they arrived earlier that morning.

Dewey was shaking his head and chuckling as he came around lane 1 from the workshop, wiping his hands on a rag. “They might have been split at birth,” he said, then frowned at Theo. “You can’t sit there.”

“Here?” Theo straightened and looked around, confused. “Why not? It’s my day off and we’re not expecting anyone for a few more hours.”

“Yeah, but I had to make a new rule,” Dewey said as he lowered and braced his hands on his knees so he could kiss Theo’s cheek.

Theo leaned in to meet him. “A new rule? Why?”

“From now on, you’re only allowed to sit on my face,” Dewey whispered and swiped his lips against Theo’s before heading for the front desk.

“This rule, I like!” Theo popped to his feet and went after him.

“It was Keith’s idea.”

Dewey opened the register to get a piece of gum and Theo noticed his hand trembled and worried that he was already getting tired.

“We should take off early,” Theo suggested, resting his forearms on the counter so he could flirt with Dewey. He could do that now because he wasn’t on the clock and he was sleeping with the bowling alley’s owner. “It’ll be slow all day and Bryce and Chase won’t need us. I’ll cook you dinner and after, I’ll draw us a bubble bath. You can watch me drink a bottle of wine and act like a Wichser.”

“What’s a Wichser?” Dewey asked.

A wide grin spread across Theo’s face. “It is how we say a ‘wanker’ or a ‘jerk-off.’ I could drink wine while we soak and you can watch me be a Wichser.”

“I’m in.” Dewey nodded quickly. “I’d like to do that today.”

“Klasse!” Theo pumped his fists and turned as Bryce and Chase came from the workshop, high-fiving each other. “They’ve certainly hit it off,” Theo noted.

Dewey hummed in agreement, nodding as he watched them. “Chase is a good kid. I think they’ll keep in touch.”

“Did you know that Chase is from Watertown and he was already considering moving back? His fiancé has an aunt there as well that she’s very fond of.”

“Is that so?” Dewey replied, his tone dry. He chewed and narrowed his eyes at Theo. “We’ll see…”

“Yes…we will,” Theo agreed, not sure why they were being so ominous as Bryce and Chase joined them at the front desk. But they all quieted and craned their necks as a large man in a military field coat pushed through the alley’s front door.

A faded Hartford Wolf Pack ball cap covered his eyes and a salt-and-pepper beard hugged his jaw. He smiled at them and waved the “help wanted” sign, only to receive a disgusted swear from Dewey in response.

“Heard you were hiring,” the other man said, sliding a green duffel bag off of his shoulder and onto the floor.

“I didn’t—” Theo shook his head, alarmed and confused. “Mr. Callahan is the only person I made an arrangement with. So far,” he added quietly.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Bryce yelled and Dewey grabbed him around the middle when he lunged at the bearded stranger. Bryce swore and swung wildly. “Let me go!” he ordered, but Dewey shook his head and held on as tight as he could.

“What’s going on?” Chase asked, eyeing the man in the cap warily.

Theo didn’t sense any hostility from their visitor but jogged over and intercepted him, blocking his access to Bryce and Dewey. “Perhaps you should come back later,” he suggested pointedly.

“I want him out of here!” Bryce spat and pointed, fighting to get free.

“Knock it off. You know he’s not worth it,” Dewey scolded and shushed Bryce, glaring over his shoulder at the other man. “This is not the time,” he ground out.

Theo crossed his arms and raised a brow, attempting to be as intimidating as Leo. “It would appear that you aren’t wanted here,” he said, then cleared his throat. “What’s this man done?” he asked out of the side of his mouth, earning a hard glare from Dewey.

“That’s my brother and Bryce’s father, Roddy Brooks,” he said and Bryce shook his head quickly.

“That’s not my father, Doobie. You’re the one who raised me.” He sniffed hard and smeared a tear off his cheek. “That’s the man who used my mom and abandoned his entire family so he could almost make it as a pro hockey player.”

“Really?” Theo said loudly, turning and advancing on Roddy.

“Nope. That’s not a good idea,” Dewey said firmly, but Theo shrugged it off. He wasn’t afraid of getting his clock cleaned. It had happened before, but Roddy would know what Theo thought of him and the way he’d treated his family.

“Okay!” Chase said as he grabbed Theo’s arm, yanking him back. “Pro bowling tip: do not pick a fight with a hockey player,” he advised with a nervous smile at Roddy.

“It’s alright,” Roddy declared loudly, gesturing for everyone to relax. “I deserve a lot worse. Fuck, Bryce and Doobie can take me out front and whoop my ass while the whole town watches, if it’ll make up for some of the pain I’ve caused.”

That earned a hard, belligerent laugh from Bryce. “Nope. That wouldn’t begin to make up for it, but I’ll do it for Mom. I put her through some stupid shit in high school.”

“No, you won’t,” Dewey said firmly, but he looked pale and he was out of breath. “Come on, now. I can’t hold you for much longer, B,” he added gently and Bryce relaxed immediately, gasping and shifting so he could put an arm around Dewey.

“It’s cool! I’ll be cool,” Bryce said as he helped Dewey onto a bench and crouched in front of him, looking concerned.

“Why are you here?” Dewey asked Roddy, cutting to the chase.

Roddy pushed out a hard breath, shrugging as he dropped the sign on the counter. “I want to come home. I’ve wanted to for a while but I was afraid of this,” he said with a wave around him. “But the longer I put it off, the harder it got. I’ve been coaching high school football and working as a sub up in Potsdam. I heard that Doobie was sick and that Bryce was back because he needed help?—”

“For Christ sake! I’m not dying!” Dewey shouted.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Roddy said slowly, then slid them an apologetic grimace. “But Cassie says your condition is getting worse and hiding it is wearing you out, on top of running this place by yourself.”

Bryce rolled his eyes, humming dubiously. “Mom told you that?”

“Yeah. I call her a couple of times a month. I like to know what you’re up to and how Doobie’s doing.”

“Since when?” Bryce demanded, earning a groan from Dewey as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Four Christmases ago, if I had to guess. She started talking about ‘what if Roddy changed and wanted to come back?’ She tried it a couple of times, but I never wanted any part of that fantasy.”

“It wasn’t a fantasy,” Roddy said sadly. “I knew I messed up way before I washed out of the league and I tried talking to Cass when Bryce was a kid, but she wasn’t ready back then. I got lucky one Christmas and Cass let me apologize and we’ve been talking since.”

“Why didn’t she say anything to me about it?” Bryce said and Roddy gave him a wide-eyed look.

“Oh, I don’t know…” He laughed and shook his head. “You’re even more of a Brooks than we are,” he said as he gestured at himself and Dewey. Tears pooled in Roddy’s eyes as he stared at Bryce. “Damn it! I don’t deserve a bit of credit, but I am so proud of you. Your mom says you’re smart smart and I can tell. You’re just like us, but you’re even better.”

Dewey made a pfft! sound as a tear rolled off the end of his nose. “He sucks at hockey. His heart’s as big as Dad’s, though, and he’s got all the brains you left behind.”

“I can see that,” Roddy said hoarsely, then tossed his chin at the lanes. “Place looks great. You look like shit, Doobie, but you’ve done Dad proud.”

“Thanks,” Dewey replied flatly. “You think you can stroll back in here after almost twenty years and take over?”

“No!” Roddy shook his head quickly. “This is your place and I’ll never be able to replace you. I don’t want to. I just want to have a home and family again. I miss my little brother and I want to know my son,” he pleaded, holding Dewey’s gaze as tears rolled down his cheeks and seeped into his beard.

A faint squeak slipped from Bryce as he turned his back, shaking his head. Theo reached for him, giving Bryce’s shoulder a firm squeeze. His heart was torn right in two. He was so angry for Dewey and Bryce, but Theo couldn’t fathom the regret Roddy had lived with. Nothing could ever come between Theo and his brothers and two decades without them would have been unbearable. He instinctively ached to see their family healed, if Dewey and Bryce believed Roddy deserved another chance.

It was their call—not Roddy’s or Theo’s—and their closure and happiness was all that mattered.

“You get $20 an hour and you can stay in the Minnie Winnie,” Dewey eventually announced. His gaze never left the floor, though. He couldn’t seem to bring his eyes to meet Roddy’s. Theo hoped it was disappointment and a fear of being let down again, and that Dewey didn’t feel defeated for accepting his brother’s help or ashamed of his condition. Or them.

“I guess that means I’ve been evicted,” Theo noted and Roddy’s brows furrowed as he scrubbed his beard.

“I’ve heard that a lot has changed around here, but who the hell is he?” Roddy asked Dewey, hitching a thumb at Theo.

A sarcastic chuckle wafted from Dewey as he finally lifted his gaze to his brother’s. “Aside from Bryce going to Cornell, Theo and Walter might be the only other things that have changed around here. Theo’s my man—for as long as he wants to be—and he can stay at the house until he’s had enough of us and Oslo,” he said simply, giving Chase a nod. “You can stay too, if this soap opera bullshit hasn’t made you sick.”

“Nope! I’m kind of invested now,” Chase said, grinning at Dewey and Theo and then at Roddy. “This place isn’t so bad and I was hoping we could work something out. Don’t blow it again, man,” he said to Roddy.

“I won’t,” Roddy vowed, then grinned at Dewey. “ A lot has changed around here, but I’m proud of you for that too.” He turned to Theo, holding out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Rodney Brooks.”

Theo looked at Dewey and Bryce, waiting for their nods before accepting Roddy’s hand. “Theo von Hessen of Austria,” he said and Dewey and Bryce both smirked, enjoying Roddy’s obvious confusion.

“You should be proud. We all are,” Bryce said as he crossed his arms over his chest, beaming at Theo and then at Dewey. “Best change and biggest surprise ever : Doobie found Prince Charming. Theo’s an actual Austrian prince,” he boasted.

Roddy’s eyes went wide and glazed. “A what now?”

“He’s a real prince,” Bryce said as he took out his phone. “His whole family is on Wikipedia and Theo’s?—”

“Knock it off with the Wikipedia,” Dewey ordered, pointing at the phone. “Theo doesn’t like that because it’s weird ,” he added heavily.

A faint blush tinted Bryce’s cheeks. “Oh. I didn’t realize. Sorry, Theo,” he whispered as he put it away, then narrowed his eyes at Roddy. “He isn’t a selfish fraud, though. He’s the real deal and he’s proven that he’s here for the right reasons. He cares about Doobie and Mom and he just wants to help us. That’s more than we’ve ever been able to say about you.” He gave Theo’s shoulder an affectionate punch before heading back to the workshop.

Chase blinked rapidly and sniffed, then ducked when they heard something slam in the workshop. “I’ll go make sure he’s okay.”

“Thanks,” Dewey said and waved Chase off. There was a sigh from Dewey as he rose, shaking his head at Roddy. “Dad made me promise I’d forgive you if we ever fell out. But not until you make it right with Bryce.” He took a moment, itching the end of his nose with a knuckle. “We all grew up too fast when you left, Roddy, but Bryce could have had more of a childhood if you had been there. I did my best to do all the things you should have done, when I wasn’t here or taking care of the house or Cassie. And Cassie did her best, bless her. Bryce was always too smart and he still has too much energy for his own good. But he was the one who paid the highest price for those dreams you had to chase. You, me, and Cassie, we had a childhood, but all Bryce has ever known is the fallout of your selfishness and he’s always blamed himself.”

“I know. I’ll never forgive myself for that,” Roddy said heavily. He looked like he was in pain as he stared in the direction of the workshop. “I knew he’d be pissed and wouldn’t want to look at me, but I’ll suck it up and make it right,” he vowed.

“We’ll see,” Dewey said and gave Theo a nudge. “Better get to packing. I’ll bring the truck around.”

He left them staring, bemused and at a loss until Roddy whistled and shook his head. “A prince for Doobie? Can’t say I saw that coming, but it looks like the universe got something right. It’s good to meet you, Theo.”

“Same,” Theo said and gestured for Roddy to follow as he went to clear his things out of the trailer. “An emotional family reunion was the last thing I was expecting, but you might be the answer to our prayers.”