Chess Not Checkers Preorder Bonus Scene

Note from Annah: 

Hi, lovely! Thank you for preordering, buying a paperback, or being a member of my ARC team. I appreciate your support and hope you enjoy this exclusive bonus scene as a thank you! This is Shepherd’s POV of the same bonus scene from his brother Jason’s book, The Run Option. It takes place during the Heisman ceremony, the same year that Jasmine and Shepherd meet and fall in love! This is unedited, so please excuse any errors you may find. 

Happy reading, 

AC

—

Shepherd Kingsley 

I stare into Jasmine’s jade green eyes. Her soft hands frame my face. The warm, spicy vanilla of her perfume further aids in calming me. Everything about her is a stress reliever. 

“I’m so proud of you, Captain. You’ve worked hard and deserve to be here. You deserve to win, but even if you don’t, I love you, and your family loves you.”

I wrap my hands around her wrists. 

“I love you too, Chef.”

She scrunches her nose at the nickname, but doesn’t protest. I try to draw in a deep breath, but it gets a little stuck. Jasmine must notice, because she pushes up on her tiptoes and presses a gentle kiss to my lips. I can’t help but smile after, some of the tension leaving my shoulders and neck. 

“I’m so glad you’re here,” I murmur. 

Her eyes are warm as she drops her hands from my face, then grabs one of my hands and interlocks our fingers. 

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

“There’s the man of the hour,” I hear my brother say from behind me. 

I let go of Jasmine’s hand and turn around to hug him. He and Willow are always picture perfect together, but even more so tonight, all dressed up. They look like they belong on the cover of a magazine. 

“I’m so glad y’all made it,” I say. 

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he replies. 

My heart jumps in my chest. It’s hard not to feel a little pressure when he and Willow came to watch me win. 

“I hope you didn’t come all this way for nothing.” I scratch the back of my neck.

“Being nominated is honor enough, but I’m confident that you’re going to win. No matter what, you’re an amazing player and the best brother a guy could ask for.”

My throat tightens and my eyes burn. Our relationship has gotten so much better once I stopped hiding my issues and feelings from him. We’ve grown closer, and that makes his words all the more impactful.

 “Thanks, that means a lot,” I rasp out. 

The lights start to dim. I catch Jason’s eyes looking a little misty. He doesn’t say anything else, just squeezes my shoulder. Willow hugs me next, then lets go to grab Jason’s hand. They start to walk over to their seats. My nerves kick in again. I look at Jasmine, not even bothering to hide the flood of emotions I’m feeling. She meets my gaze.

“This doesn’t define you. Remember: win or lose, no matter what, I love you.”

I nod. “No matter what,” I repeat as the music grows louder to signal the transition into the ceremony. 

She gives me another kiss before heading to her seat in the row of friends and family I have watching nearby. I take my seat, gripping the handles of the chair. Though I’ve grown to see that I don’t need this to be loved and seen, the desire to win never diminished. I still want to reach all of my goals. Which is why I struggle to sit still as the ceremony begins. 

Speeches are given, but I don’t think I hear a single thing until it’s time for the big announcement. It feels as though my ears are ringing.

“It is my great pleasure to announce that the Heisman trophy winner is–” I hold my breath. “Shepherd Kingsley from Georgia University.” 

The crowd erupts in applause. I can hear my family the loudest, but I can hardly process any of it as I slowly stand. Disbelief. That’s all I can manage as I head over to the row of people who love me. I go down the line, hugging and thanking each one of them. Jason, Willow, MJ, Bash. Each one have been essential in my support system that got me here. But none of them compare to the woman at the end of the row. 

I pull Jasmine to me, wrapping her up tight and lingering for a moment. 

“I knew you could do it, Captain,” Jasmine says into my ear. 

I blink, trying and failing to keep my tears at bay. 

“Couldn’t have done it without you. I mean that.” I meet her gaze to show my sincerity. Her eyes are glistening like the surface of a pond in the sun. She smiles, a tear escaping as she does. My chest warms at the sight. Something in her expression tells me that she meant everything she said tonight, too. No matter the outcome, she would have loved me through it. And that—she—is worth more than any award or trophy.