Ian moved to New York to write a novel. But a series of unfortunate losses—his car, his housemate, possibly his best friend Robert—have led him to join a band of musicians and tour across the country. As he charts the states of ambiguous grief for his friend, he is falling in equally ambiguous love with Hitomi, who may or may not still be dating the guitarist.

Oregon Book Award finalist Nick Jaina writes about doubt and misery in the most rollicking, page-turning way. Can you grieve someone without confirmation of loss? Can you love someone without possessing them? The answer is found in every corner of America. The answer is in the smallest things.