Life is all about choices, right?

Everything we do, from brushing our teeth in the morning, until we climb into bed at night, is a series of choices.

Sometimes we make bad choices, sometimes they’re good, sometimes they’re made under duress, and sometimes they’re the lesser of two evils kind.

Sometimes there’s no choice at all, but you’re still forced to do something, because the world refuses to slow for you. And sometimes, the one perfect choice stands right in front of you in a cop’s uniform and he asks you to feel what he feels.

But if you're proud like me, even when you know the right choice, the wrong words slide off your tongue and begin a chain reaction that can't ever be undone.

Playing for Keeps is the conclusion to a Checkmate duet featuring Andi Conner and Riley Cruz. The first part is titled Castling the Rook and should be read first.