Check & Mate

by Ali Hazelwood

“It has its ups and downs. I used to love it, but a little…sameness set in, and I actually thought about quitting. Then Mallory arrived.” His knee suddenly pushes back against mine. “Now I love it again.”

MALLORY: bb do you even know how to play chess? DARCYBUTT: I don’t need to know how the little priest moves to understand a score system.

“I’ve got you, Mallory. Nothing bad is going to happen. You can let yourself want this, because you already have it. You have me.”

“Because when I’m with you, Mallory, everything is different. When I’m with you, I want to play more than I want to win.”