Driven Snow Read Online Free PDF Page A

problem.
    Add it to the list.
    He sighed, faced his chessboard, and tried to concentrate more on the Ruy Lopez opening than on how to get a prince into his castle.
     
     
    OH NO. How can it be morning?
    Stare at a chessboard for enough hours and the sun comes up.
    Snow dragged his body out the door of his condo and hurried to Campus Coffee. Millie waved as he walked in. “Hey, sunshine. I’ve got it all made.”
    He smiled and grabbed his tea latte from the counter. “Bless you.”
    She laughed. “That bad, huh? Did NorCal’s chess master have a bad knight? Get it? Knight?”
    He glanced around and felt heat climb his neck. “Didn’t sleep well.”
    “Hey, I’m just kidding. Enjoy your tea.” She cocked her fuzzy-haired head at the pastry sitting on a napkin beside where his large tea had stood. “Hang on.” She picked it up and inspected it carefully, then tossed it in the trash. “Sorry, sweetie. I told Carol to give you a croissant, but I forgot to say no nuts. That one has almonds. Let me get you a plain.”
    He held up a hand. “I’m not actually very hungry, so I’ll just go with the tea. But I really appreciate you looking out for me.”
    “Can’t have my favorite chess master dying on the floor of Campus Coffee.”
    He grinned. “There are worse places.”
    “Would you actually die if you ate the nuts?”
    “I’ve got one of those pens for extreme allergic reactions, but if I forgot it or collapsed too fast, I imagine I could die.” He patted his pocket where he always kept his epinephrine pen.
    “Glad we didn’t test the theory.”
    “Me too. Thanks again for the tea. Just how I like it.”
    “Kiss kiss, luv.” She swept back to serve the line of caffeine-deprived college students. Snow slid ten dollars into the tip jar—they billed him for all his purchases—and slipped out the door, dragging on his tea. Life was short and he was busy. Why couldn’t he let go of his sense he had to teach Riley Prince? Like he’d be responsible if the guy failed? Sick.
    Even though his class on particle physics was a favorite, he barely heard the lecture. When the professor gave them an assignment, Snow wrote it down, but the teacher stopped him on the way out. “You okay, Reynaldi?”
    “Yes, sorry, sir. Had a bad night.” He shuddered at Millie’s awful joke.
    The professor gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. “I know the responsibility of chess has to be crushing, but you’re going to be a great physicist. Don’t lose sight of your priorities.”
    “Thank you, sir. I won’t.”
    But what were his priorities? He wandered out of the physics building into the bright fall day. He loved chess and he loved physics, but the old adage about those kind of things not keeping you warm at night felt deeply and sadly true. It had been a long time since anyone had held him or warmed him. Since his grandmother died.
    Whose fault is that?
    Mine.
    Winston would be happy to hold you.
    Don’t want Winston.
    Dreamer.
    Bitch.
    “Reynaldi?”
    Snow looked up. Coach McMasters sat on the bench outside the building. “Hello, sir.”
    The coach stood. “I’m sorry to lie in wait for you, but I can’t let this go without trying. You know your friend failed with Riley. He didn’t feel like he got much out of the tutoring.”
    Snow stared at his feet. “They didn’t give it much of a chance.”
    “I know, but Riley was really discouraged. He said he got the same thing from Erhlinger that he gets from his professor.”
    “Maybe that’s because it’s physics.”
    “But you said you knew he could learn. You said that.”
    Snow glanced up. The big, strong coach looked like someone had drowned his puppy. Damn. “Yes, I said that.”
    “Why did you think it? How could you have been so wrong?”
    You can say Riley’s dumber than you thought and call a halt to this whole mess.
    No, I can’t.
    Because you’re a mess.
    True.
    He sighed long and loud. “Many people teach physics as if it were a game of