Gambit: Chess Club

By TK Eldridge

Gambit: gam-bit noun - (in chess) an opening in which a player makes a sacrifice, typically of a pawn, for the sake of some compensating advantage.

A fall festival, a visit to a fortune teller, and decisions that give Fate the edge it needs to put everything in motion.
This is a prologue novella to The Chess Club Mystery series that starts with Rook.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Graffridge Publishing
• Release date: May 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223760467

Book preview

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Chapter one

The sun that streamed through the windows woke him a moment before Wes realized he wasn’t alone in his bed. The heat of the body against his naked back reminded him of the night before, and how much he and Chad had had to drink before they finally stumbled into bed.

There weren’t any gay-friendly clubs closer than an hour away, so they had bought mixers, made drinks, and streamed a movie. He didn’t even remember which movie, because they’d spent most of it making out on his couch.

Hey, stud, Chad said as he rolled over and ran a hand down Wes’s back. Let’s make it a late breakfast. Whaddya say?

Wes forced a smile to his face before he rolled over and kissed Chad. I don’t have time for a late breakfast. I’m going to get into the shower and get dressed. I’ve got a meeting in about an hour, and I’d like to at least have coffee in me, first. He ran a hand through his slightly shaggy dark hair and scratched the dark beard on his cheeks. Wes was lean – not from a gym regimen, but from forgetting to eat when he got into a project. His dark eyes and light skin made him look younger than his thirty-three years.

Chad pouted and Wes had to hold back the eye roll. With Chad’s blond hair and blue eyes, he looked like the perfect California surfer boy – complete with attitude.

I guess. I can make us some food, though, while you’re in the shower, Chad offered.

An egg and cheese on an English muffin would be perfect. Thanks, Chad, Wes replied as he got out of bed and went into the bathroom. He made sure to lock the door behind him, because he just didn’t have it in him to do shower sex with the man. Not this morning.

He’d planned on breaking up with Chad last night, but his hormones got in the way and they ended up in bed instead. Was he a nice guy? Sure, but he was so bloody needy and Wes was tired of the arguments about the time Wes spent working. His job was demanding, and he loved it. He wasn’t cutting back on that for anyone.

Shower time was the best time for Wes to work out any coding issues he might have run into, and this one was no different. He dried quickly, pulled on his clothes, and dropped into a seat at the kitchen table with his notebook and pen. Soon he’d figured out the coding issue and wrote page after page of what needed to be tweaked, what it should do, and only stopped when the clack of the plate hitting the table next to him broke his focus.

Here’s your breakfast, as ordered. Did you even hear a thing I’ve said in the past twenty minutes? Chad snapped at him.

No, I didn’t. You know I hyperfocus when I’m working out a problem. We’ve discussed this before, Wes said.

Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You’re welcome. I’m going to go shower and get dressed. Will I still see you tonight at the Fall Festival?

Yes. I plan on being there at six. I’ll meet you at the gate, Wes said. And thank you for breakfast.

Whatever, Chad muttered as he left the room.

Wes sighed, got himself a mug of coffee, and sat back down to eat while he looked over his notes.

He barely registered Chad’s goodbye as he left a little bit later. Before long, he carried his notes into his shop. The biometric lock let him in and he turned on the electric fireplace to heat the space while he booted up his systems and went to work.

It was always this way with Wes. He could visualize a problem in his head that some people would take months