Detour on the Highway to Happiness by Michael Murphy

Life has repeatedly tried to smack Ernie down, but each time he shows that he is stronger and more resilient. He has survived by keeping people at arm’s length, never letting anyone get close to him. That is, until Matt, an adorable, geeky calculus professor tries to surreptitiously check out Ernie in the local library. Matt will never make a good undercover operative as long as he knocks books off shelves and leaves clues like his cell phone at the scene.

When Ernie returns Matt’s phone after class, he adores Matt’s gorgeous smile and his love of life. But Ernie can’t see anything coming of it because they run in very different social circles and come from dramatically different backgrounds. While Matt teaches really intense, complicated graduate level mathematics, Ernie drives a bus. Matt comes from money, but Ernie doesn’t have anyone but himself.

Will Matt be able to persuade Ernie to look beyond the surface and go out with him? Matt is certainly determined to give it his all in trying to overcome Ernie’s hesitation and take a chance on him and on love.