Chapter 11

           AftertheceremonySaturdayevening,bennytookhertoabarintown.TheysatinabackboothandBethdrankherfirstbeerandorderedanother.Theybothtasteddelicious.“Easy,”Bennysaid.“Easy.”Hehadnotfinishedhisfirst.

           “You’reright,”shesaidandsloweddown.Shefelthighenoughalready.Nolosses.Nodraws.Herlasttwoopponentshadoffereddrawsinmidgame,andshehadrefused.

           “Aperfectscore,”Bennysaid.

           “Itfeelsgood,”shesaid,meaningthevictory,butthebeerfeltgoodtoo.Shelookedathimmoreclosely.“Iappreciatethewayyou’retakingit.”

           “Amask,”hesaid.“I’mraginginwardly.”

           “Itdoesn’tshow.”

           “Ishouldnothaveplayedthatgoddamnedbishoppawn.”

           Theysatsilentlyforawhile.Hetookathoughtfulsipofbeerandasked,“WhatareyougoingtodoaboutBorgov?”

           “WhenIgotoParis?Idon’tevenhaveapassport.”

           “WhenyougotoMoscow.”

           “Idon’tknowwhatyou’retalkingabout.”

           “Don’ttheydeliverthemailinKentucky?”

           “Ofcoursetheydo.”

           “TheMoscowInvitational.TheU.S.winnerisinvited.”

           “Iwantanotherbeer,”shesaid.

           “Youdidn’tknowthat?”Bennylookedshocked.

           “I’llgetthebeermyself.”

           “Goahead.”

           Shewentuptothebarandorderedanotherbottle.ShehadheardoftheMoscowInvitationalbutknewnothingaboutit.Thebartenderbroughtherthebeer,andshetoldhimtogetanother.Whenshecamebacktothetable,Bennysaid,“That’stoomuchbeer.”

           “Probably.”Shewaitedforthefoamtosettleandtookaswallow.