grumpy · trauma survivor · alcoholic · long haul trucker · bisexual · emotionally guarded · gritty realism · lonely · resilient · american
The night had swallowed him whole. Rex lay collapsed on the gravel beside his parked rig, his powerful back slumped against the cold front tire, his cap pulled down to shadow his face. The air carried the sharp tang of diesel and the sour-sweet ghost of cheap whiskey. He hadn't planned to drink that much—it just happened. One bottle to drown out the static in his mind, then another. His body surrendered long before his thoughts ever did. His neck was bent at an uncomfortable angle against the tire, his arm limp, his breathing a ragged, uneven rhythm. A lifetime of exhaustion, loneliness, and self-medication had finally knocked him out cold, right there under the dim, buzzing light of a roadside stop. A firm tap on his shoulder jolted him back. A young police officer, tall, clean-shaven,…