Awakening - The Tigris Series Book 2

Chapter Thirteen

Doctor Adams and I had begun to play chess every other week since the day that I finally participated. Though he would always insist it was for the purpose of having more relaxed days, I knew better.

He had never won a single game, but he was determined to try.

I stared at him while he stared at the chess board, thinking long and hard about his next move. We were well into the game, and I nearly had him cornered. I knew he only had three possible moves, and so did he. One of those moves would be an obvious checkmate for me, one move would eventually lead to a checkmate for me, and the last one, I was confident that he couldn't see that it would also be an instant checkmate. I was strategic with how I played; I learned the way he thinks quite quickly, and played accordingly.

Eventually, he finally moved his queen exactly where I wanted it to go. He leaned back, almost confidently as his deep brown gaze shifted back up to meet mine. I kept my stoic expression, giving no indication that I was pleased with his move. He took it as a sign that he had evaded me, and flashed me a confident smile.

"I think I got this one." he stated, crossing his arms with a smirk.

"Hm." I scanned the board, then instantly moved my own queen all the way across the board. "Checkmate."

His eyes practically bugged out of his head, staring at the board in disbelief. "What? How could I miss that?"

I smirked, crossing my own arms as I leaned back, confidently, exactly the way he did. "I know how you think. You distract yourself on obvious plays that I could make, and inevitably overlook the ones that are less obvious."

He scoffed, shaking his head. "I think I'm just getting too old."

"You're only in your 40s." I pointed out plainly, slightly raising a brow.

He gave a slight shrug, then began putting the chess board away. "I'm growing grey hairs, which means I'm getting old."

I rolled my eyes. "And yet, I'm twice your age, outplaying you each and every time we play. I thought you were the "King of Chess?" What happened, Adams?"

"Mid-life crisis." he stated with a serious tone. "It really gives kings the old one-two. Probably knocked the talent right out of me."

I huffed out a chuckle, raising my brow even more with amusement. "Did it now?"

He raised his brows expressively with a nod, looking up at me as he put the lid on the chess box to close it. "Yeah. I'm gonna have to put Father Time in a chokehold and tell him to give it back. Though the last time I did that, he took my hairline."

Leave it to Dr. Adams to have dry humor in the face of failure.

I laughed out loud at the joke, imagining the strange scene in my head. I wasn't exactly sure why I found it so funny; maybe it was the bit about his receding hairline.

He stared at me as I laughed, looking slightly taken aback with shock. "Out of all of the jokes I've ever made, you finally laugh at that one?"

I slowly calm my laughter, raising my brow again in amusement as I met his gaze. "It took me by surprise."

He eyed me, giving the slightest smile as he scanned over my entire face. "It's the first time you've ever genuinely laughed."

I hummed, my laughter now completely silenced as I eyed him back. "It's not the very first time I've ever laughed, Doctor."

"Maybe not, but it's the first genuine laugh that I've seen." he replied, slightly leaning back with a slightly wider smile. "So I really am making progress."