The Detour Agreement

Leo is a man of plans. A computer science major with a color-coded, minute-by-minute itinerary for his cross-country trip to a prestigious internship, he believes security is the ultimate goal. Maya is a woman of impulse. An art history major with a messy car and a thirst for authentic experiences, she feels trapped by the conventional future her family expects. When they connect through a university ride-share, their only common ground is the destination. But as the miles unfold, Maya proposes a radical idea: The Detour Agreement. For every planned stop, one unplanned adventure. For every safe choice, one risky one.

What begins as a playful pact quickly becomes the foundation for a profound connection. Forced into close quarters, their guarded walls crumble, revealing shared fears and hidden desires. A tentative kiss under a starlit sky cracks Leo’s orderly world open, and soon, their journey becomes a thrilling exploration of not just the American landscape, but of each other. They share their deepest insecurities in a roadside diner, their most intimate fantasies in cozy motel rooms, and forge a bond built on a new, terrifying, and exhilarating kind of honesty.

Their world expands exponentially when they meet Clara and Ben, a charismatic, openly bisexual couple who embody a life of radical freedom and profound trust. This encounter offers Leo and Maya a glimpse into a different way of loving—one that challenges societal scripts and celebrates compersion, the joy found in a partner's joy. Suddenly, their own relationship fantasies don't seem so far-fetched. But this new path demands the highest price yet: absolute vulnerability. The support and wisdom they receive come with an invitation to step into their most vulnerable fantasy, testing their young relationship in ways they never imagined.

Arriving in Seattle, they find their hard-won authenticity suffocating in the sterile, corporate world of their internships. The "logical steps" they were supposed to take now feel like a betrayal of the vibrant, free people they became on the road. Faced with a future that promises security at the cost of their souls, Leo and Maya are forced to make an impossible choice. Do they conform to the life that was expected of them, or do they honor the Detour Agreement one final, terrifying time by walking away from it all?

The Detour Agreement is a sweeping, sensual, and deeply emotional romance that follows two young people as they break every rule in search of a life that is truly their own. It is a story about the courage to choose the unknown over the safe, the messy truth over a comfortable lie, and a love that is brave enough to redefine its own boundaries. This is more than a road trip romance; it’s a philosophical quest that explores the architecture of intimacy, the fluidity of desire, and the radical idea that the greatest journey isn't to a place on a map, but to the very center of another human being. Perfect for fans of emotional, character-driven love stories that aren’t afraid to explore the complexities of modern relationships, this book will inspire you to throw away your own map, embrace the beautiful detours, and find the courage to build a life, and a love, that is uniquely and authentically yours.