A surprise baby. A comeback show. A race against time.

Ben Carter is finally finding his rhythm again. Six years after the accident that changed everything, his band Archer Anonymous is taking the stage once more—and Caroline, the woman who never stopped believing in him, is by his side. The music is back. Their future is bright. And though they weren’t sure they could have a baby, the surprise of becoming parents feels like the perfect encore.

Then, six weeks early, Caroline goes into labor in Chicago—alone.
Ben is three states away, headlining a music festival she produced remotely.
And a nationwide tech failure has grounded every flight.

One packed van. A handful of strangers. A roadside breakdown. A stack of pancakes the size of a house.

Ben will do whatever it takes to make it back to Caroline before their daughter is born—even if nothing goes according to plan.

AUGUST is a Strings Attached short story about second chances, found family, and the kind of love that shows up, holds on, and keeps driving.

Tropes to Expect:

• Rockstar romance

• Surprise pregnancy

• Second chance love

• Forced proximity

• Grumpy x sunshine

• Hero on a deadline

• Emotional road trip

• Found family

• Birth scene (emotional but not graphic)

• He falls first and never stops

• Short story epilogue

• Contemporary romance with depth and heart