Fred Munson likes his job as a traffic cop. He’s good at it. It’s his personal life that could use some improvement. With no friends, and being too shy to talk to anyone while out of uniform, when Fred is forced to use some of his vacation time, he has nothing to fill his days. At least not until he comes home to find his driveway blocked by a stranger with car troubles. A month after losing his father, Zen Zeppelin Cave has also lost his place in the world. The only thing holding him together is focusing on a charity junk car race to raise money for cancer research. And he's crossing that finish line even if he ends up replacing every part of the car along the way. Zen had planned on completing the race on his own, but a spur-of-the-moment decision changes that when he invites the adorable, blushing police officer whose driveway he’s blocking to tag along. Going with a stranger on a road trip is completely out of Fred’s comfort zone, so when he accepts the invitation, no one is more surprised than himself. Together, Zen and Fred head south. But will the old junk car hold together long enough to reach their destination? And will crossing the finish line mean the end of the road for a budding romance, or will they find there’s more to their journey?

Banger Challenge

“I want to help you. This is important to you, and I want to support it.”


The fucking lump was back in his throat. “Thanks, babe. We’ll discuss it later.”


“No need to discuss it. I’ll pay.”


Fred was melting. He had long ago lost interest in the conversation Zen was having with the garage owner. The tow truck had found them and dropped them off in Redspring—which was about six hundred and seventy-five miles from Manheim—and since then, Zen and the other guy had removed things, checked things, knocked on things, pumped the pedals, and laid down under the car discussing things Fred didn’t understand and had no interest in ever understanding.


Thank God, there was a good service station in Whiteport.


Chapter 29