Page 29 of A Royal Arrangement
Dear Colin,
You are hereby invited to a game of chess in the auxiliary library this afternoon at three o’clock.
I hope you choose to comply with this request.
Sincerely,
Rosalie
He couldn’tnotshow up. It wasn’t like she was asking him to go on a fancy date and proclaim his love for her. Plus, he hadn’t spent any time with Rosalie, aside from meals, since the ball last week. He should be able to manage an innocent game of chess.
Colin glanced at the clock. He had ten minutes to get to the chess alcove in the auxiliary library. He pushed himself up from the chair in his study and walked to the library, going through the door at exactly three o’clock. He’d had a corner of the room dedicated solely to chess created shortly after he’d become king.
He walked around a row of shelves and spotted Rosalie waiting at the chess table.
“You came.” She smiled up at him, running her fingers through her auburn curls as she stood.
When he was a few feet away from the table, Rosalie walked toward him and wrapped her arm around his waist, pulling him into a gentle side hug.
Colin lightly patted her shoulder, unsure what to do with his hand. Aside from Addie, hugging wasn’t an action he had done much of in recent years. Honestly, this might have been the first time he’d been embraced by an adult since he’d lost Isabella. His back stiffened, and Rosalie finally let go.
“Are you ready to play?” She gestured to the game board.
He nodded, sitting down in the chair opposite her. “White goes first.” Colin motioned for her to make her beginning move.
He made his first move after Rosalie, and the game was on.
She started out their match attempting to converse with him. However, as the game progressed, she got quiet.
Colin could see the moment she recognized that he was just as good at this game as she was. Her words were replaced by puzzled expressions.
He was impressed. Colin could usually win a chess game with his eyes closed, but she was a worthy adversary. Rosalie’s moves were calculated, and she appeared to think two steps ahead.
But Colin always thought three steps ahead.
After an hour of well-thought-out moves, her king was finally defenseless, and Colin made his final move as he bit his lower lip.
“Checkmate.”
Rosalie’s eyes darted around the board frantically before she leaned back in her chair, mouth slightly agape. “Youbeat me.” Her voice was quiet, but her expression was one of respect.
“I did.”
“I can’t believe it. I hardly ever lose a game of chess.”
Colin stood and placed his hands on the board, leaning forward. “I never lose.”
“We’ll just have to see about that.” Rosalie smirked, a competitive glint in her eyes. “Can we meet at the same time next week for a rematch?”
“I guess I could pencil you in. It would be nice to win again.”
She leaned forward, their faces inches apart—so close he could see each freckle on her forehead and cheeks—when she suddenly extended her hand to him. He took it and gave it a firm shake.
“It’s so on.” Rosalie’s smirk turned into a grin. She stood and smoothed her dress. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
He nodded to her. Once she was gone, he walked over to a worn brown leather chair, perfectly broken in, and sank into it.
Colin rubbed his temples and sighed. “I think I just made a weekly date with my wife.”
