made me curious." She turned sideways. "Tell me."
"The short version, he walked out of prison and went to the clubhouse. I gave him a BJ and—"
"Wait." She laughed. "You gave him a blow job?"
"Worse." She grinned. "I gave a complete stranger a blow job, and he was high on drugs because he had some injuries to his feet."
"Oh, my God. Tell me more," she said.
"Well, he started working at the Towing company, and things were up and down for a long time, but we worked it all out."
"Sex stuff with a stranger." Faye sighed. "I didn't know you had it in you."
"To be fair. I knew who he was before he arrived in Missoula. He was in the same cell as Whip when he was on the inside."
She leaned forward. "What was he in for?"
"Murder." Tracy scrunched her nose. "Seven years."
"Hm." She looked away.
No matter how many court cases she studied, she couldn't understand how some people got less than others for the same crime. Sure, Uncle Walker killed two people, but he was in for a total of twenty-five years.
"You'll have to take my word for it that he's a good man," said Tracy.
"Oh, I trust you. As long as you're happy, and I can see that you are, I'm thrilled for you." She smiled. "You and all your babies."
Tracy grinned. "Crazy how life changed, huh?"
For her friend, all the changes were good.
For her, the jury was still out.
"Do you hear that?" Tracy got up from the couch and walked to the window. "A rider is coming up the driveway. I am so glad the babies can sleep through anything."
Faye groaned. "Don't tell me it's Curley."
"Um." Tracy walked over to the door and turned the deadbolt. "It's not Curley."
She sat straighter. "It's not?"
"Nope. It's Aaron."
Half glad Curley hadn't shown up to ruin her fun, and half disappointed that he hadn't checked up on her to see if she was okay, she stayed on the couch. Obviously, Tarkio members took care of Tracy when Rick was gone.
While she always felt like she belonged to the club, no ties were holding her close to them, and she wasn't anyone's responsibility anymore. Uncle Walker never talked about Tarkio during her visits since the last time Curley took her to prison. When she'd tried to bring up Curley and discuss breaking up their relationship with her uncle, he'd gone silent and refused to discuss the matter.
Since she and Curley weren't in a real relationship and she was busy building her business, she'd let the matter of breaking up with him go. She picked at the rip in the thigh of her jeans. Maybe it was time to revisit that subject on her next visit with Uncle Walker. After she got a job.
If she started working in Missoula and expanded her business the way she wanted to, she could change her life. Right now, she needed to stay under Curley's radar and secure herself another job.
Her independence would be the only thing that kept Curley out of her life. As long as he believed she needed money, he'd throw cash at her at every turn—soon, he'd call her a burden, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen.
Aaron stuck his head into the house. Faye waved, though she'd never had more than two conversations with the man.
Sometimes, she wondered if the older members, the longstanding members, who were around when Uncle Walker committed murder, were equally responsible for him being in prison. From everything she remembered, Tarkio members were loyal to a fault. They had each other's backs.
Maybe Uncle Walker was the only one caught. So many things would've changed in her life if he hadn't got arrested.
She'd still have her uncle in her life, and maybe she would be doing something else with her time. Maybe it wouldn't have taken this long to figure out that growing the nursery was what she wanted to do.
Maybe Curley wouldn't have claimed her, because she wouldn't have had the opportunity to sleep with him.
"How're you doing?" asked Aaron.
"Good." Faye crossed her legs and held on to her cooler.
Aaron nodded and turned back to Tracy. "I'll let you girls get on with your slumber party. If you need anything, give me a call."
Tracy patted Aaron's chest. "We'll be fine."
Once the door shut, Tracy yawned. Knowing her friend had a long day taking care of the kids and a big week ahead while Rick was gone, Faye drank the rest of the wine and walked into