“I’ll meet you in the kitchen in five minutes.”
I glance down the stairs. I can still hear Beau and Fraser talking. They’re getting ready to leave. “Make it ten.”
Quinn follows my stare. “Okay.”
I go to my room to pick up my chess timer, a task that takes around thirty seconds. I sit on my bed, waiting until I hear the front door open and close. I feel bad for avoiding Beau and Fraser.
I join Quinn in the kitchen. He’s already set up his chess set, with the black side next to him.
“Are you feeling confident?”
He looks up and smiles. “Maybe.”
Quinn’s chess set is plainer than mine and is made entirely of wood.
I sit opposite him. “Which side do you want the timer on?”
White moves first, and black gets to decide the location of the timer. It matters.
“On my right, please.”
I put the timer down. Beau gave it to me for my birthday after deciding my and Quinn’s games lasted too long.
“One hour?”
“Okay. Unless you want a quick-play challenge?”
“What were you thinking?”
“Thirty minutes?”
“All right.” I set both timers to fifteen minutes. “Ready?”
“Yes.” Quinn shakes my hand over the board and then presses the Play button.
I move my fifth pawn forward two spaces to e4 and then press my button, stopping my timer, which automatically starts Quinn’s. He responds by moving one of his knights to c6 and then pushing his button.
I arch my eyebrow. “I expected you to counter with a French defence.” It’s his standard response to the move I made.
“Did you? You’re wasting time figuring out why I didn’t.” He winks at me.
Hastily, I move my neighbouring pawn to d4. Quinn’s brows twitch together. He takes a little more time than I did, eventually moving one of his pawns to e6—the move I’d expected him to make first. He presses the timer button.
The door opens as I deliberate my move.
Beau rushes in and grabs his wallet from the breakfast bar. “I won’t get far without this.” He smiles at us both and then glances at the board. “Who’s winning?”
I scowl. “No one yet.” My time is ticking away, thanks to Beau distracting me. I move yet another pawn to f4, creating a line of three across the centre of the board.
“You’re not going to win if you keep playing like that,” Beau warns. “I’d better go. Have fun.” He pauses in the doorway. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
I roll my eyes.
Quinn moves a pawn to b6. “If I win, I think you should tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“Uh-huh.”
