The Vacation Gambit

"She didn't object when you called her that?" Desmond asked, his tone stiff.

Jonah didn't understand why Desmond was so hung up on a simple nickname. "Why would she object?"

Desmond's mind was unsettled, and his once-aggressive moves gradually lost their edge. The rhythm of the game slipped away, and after several back-and-forth exchanges, they ended up locked in a stalemate.

Desmond stood up, his