He wasn't the only one who's life had changed the second he honored the code he swore by and told Uncle Walker about sleeping with her. She never would've mentioned that night to anyone.
She slid into the driver's seat of her car and slammed the door.
A shadow covered her, and she looked out the side window and found a welcome face a few inches from the glass, smiling at her. All her pent-up anger burst out in one long exhale, and she rolled down the window.
"I was yelling your name, and you never even heard me." Tracy reached inside the car and hugged her with one arm. "I didn't know you were going to be in town. Come inside and visit with me. Rick's at home waiting for the kids to wake from their nap, and I have to drop off some papers for Jerry, but I can stay long enough to catch up with you. Or, were you leaving?"
Tracy had been her best friend until she was eight years old and moved in with Grandma June. After that, they were lucky if they were able to see each other twice a year, during family day at the clubhouse or out shopping.
Their lack of communication and growing up apart had added an awkwardness to their relationship once they hit the teenage years. The distance coupled with Tracy's parents getting murdered when Tracy was in high school only made things more stilted between them for years. It wasn't until Tracy and Rick got together, and they ran into each other at the mall in Missoula that the barriers seemed to melt away.
"I'll stay for a few minutes." She got back out of the car, glancing at the corner of the building to make sure Curley had gone back to whatever he was doing with the guys. "I was going to call you soon."
"About?"
She walked inside the clubhouse, spotting Paco jumping from the couch again as if to stop her from causing trouble, and ignored him. "Well, I had a new job here in town and wanted to let you know so we could get together, but Curley put a stop to that."
"He stopped you from seeing me?"
"No. From working."
"So, you're going back home?" Tracy sat at the table. "Sit. Tell me what's going on."
She slumped in the chair. "I quit my job at the lounge. Things were getting out of control with the guy who owns the place since he got divorced."
"Uh, oh." Tracy curled her lip. "Was he putting the moves on you?"
"Something like that," she mumbled, not wanting to think about Cal Williams and ruin her mood.
As far as she knew, nobody at Tarkio knew what had happened at the lounge, which was fine by her.
"God, that sucks."
"Yeah." She propped her elbows on the table. "I was going to work at Riverside Bar part-time, even verbally agreed to the job with the owner yesterday, and this morning, the owner told me I was no longer welcome at his establishment."
"Why?" Tracy's gaze narrowed. "Because of Curley?"
She raised her brows and smirked. "Who else?"
"I'm sorry." Tracy squeezed Faye's hand. "Although I hate to say it, I doubt if you would've been happy there. The owner is a creep. I've seen how he treats the girls that work for him."
"At this point, it was a job. I'm starting to think male bosses are a risk I'm going to have to take if I want to make money."
"Have you gone to the grocery store and asked if they need cashiers? They were hiring last month. They may need more people, especially part-time." Tracy opened her purse and took out a receipt, reading the paper. "The manager's name and phone number are at the bottom. Give him a call."
"Thanks." She leaned to the side and put the receipt in her pocket. "Enough about me. How are the babies?"
"You need to come by the house and see them yourself." Tracy smiled. "I've missed you. I should've told you that years ago and not let us stray apart."
Faye swallowed. "What brought it up today?"
"I don't know." Tracy shrugged and lost her smile. "Rick's going on a week-long ride, and I hate to be alone at the house with the babies. I thought maybe you'd like to come over. You can spend the night, so you don't have to drive there and back all in one day."
"It's only an hour each way."
Tracy met her gaze. "I'd like you to spend the night."
She was too old for a sleepover, but she also knew what Tracy had lived through back when she lost her parents. Coming back to Missoula would give her another chance at finding a job.
"When are you thinking?" she asked.
"Anytime this Monday through Friday." Tracy lifted her brows. "Please say you'll come."
She grinned, looking forward to some girl time. "I'll come over Monday and leave on Tuesday."
"Awesome." Tracy sat up straighter. "It'll be like old times."
"Yeah," whispered Faye, not feeling the joy she used to get at the anticipation of spending time over at The Greer's house. "Is there anything I can bring? Pizza? Baby...stuff?"
Tracy laughed. "No, just bring yourself."
"Okay." She faked a smile and pressed her palms to the top of the table. "Well, I better go. I don't want to hit all the traffic on the interstate when everyone gets off work."
"Drive safe." Tracy stood and looked around the room, digging in her purse. "I better go talk to Jerry, so I can get home, too."
"I'll see you Monday." She walked out of the building, put in a better mood than when she'd arrived.
She'd always worked at the lounge where the locals and tourists hung out. Business was hectic and loud and full of drama that kept her busy. After going from server to head waitress, she wasn't sure standing behind a cash register, pushing groceries for minimum wage, would be worth checking for a job. The tips she received in the food industry was where the real money was at.
Getting in her car, she glanced over toward the row of motorcycles. Priest, the president of Tarkio, stood in her view, rubbing his jaw and looking straight at her. She huffed in the privacy of her vehicle. Sometime over the years, Priest stopped caring about her. It was as if Uncle Walker going to prison meant she was no longer a part of the family.
They all forgot about her.
Curley had been the only one who came and checked up on her when she'd lived with Grandma June. He'd also taken her to visitations at the prison until she turned twenty-one and started going by herself.
She started the engine and raised her hand in farewell to Priest. He lifted his chin, never turning his back to her, but watching her put the car in reverse. For all she knew, he wanted to make sure she left the clubhouse.
Putting the car in drive, she stopped at the street and looked both ways. At a break in traffic, she pulled out and headed toward the interstate to go home.
Home wasn't exactly the word she'd use for where she lived. To her, it was still Grandma June's house, even though the deed was now in her name.
The house should've gone to Uncle Walker, not her. But Curley thought it was best if Grandma June put the house in Faye's name after the arrest and before the incarceration. It had to do with the prison taking assets and him being afraid she wouldn't have a place to live if the will wasn't changed and something happened to Grandma June.
Being a kid, she hadn't understood at the time, but she was thankful for his insight when Grandma June passed away.