Josie said, “I’m so glad he took good care of you. Jed thinks the world of him. I know Diesel drives you crazy at work, but he can smell trouble a mile away.”

“That he does,” Red said. “He’s a bounty hunter when he’s not bartending.”

“He is?” I guess he really can track people down. Tracey looked around at the other girls, who were just as shocked. “I didn’t know that.”

“Yes, ma’am. He’s one of the best. That’s what he does when he travels, and he put his life on hold to help our family at the bar,” Red said. “He will be sorely missed when he leaves.”

A pang of sadness or disappointment, Tracey wasn’t sure which, moved through her.

“Diesel’s leaving?” Gemma and Crystal asked in unison. The brunette besties ran Princess for a Day boutique, where children could spend the day dressing up as different types of princesses, including everything from glittery gowns to tomboy-princess attire.

“He’s stayed a lot longer than we thought he would, but he’s ready to hit the road,” Red explained.

“Oh no. Kennedy’s going to be so sad.” Gemma was married to Quincy’s older brother, Truman, who worked at Whiskey Automotive. Truman and Quincy’s mother had overdosed a couple of years ago, leaving behind their much-younger siblings, Kennedy, who was now almost six, and Lincoln, who was now almost four. Truman and Gemma had stepped in to raise them as their own.

“So are half the women who come into the bar,” Dixie quipped.

A niggle of jealousy clawed at Tracey. “He drove me crazy for so long, but now I can’t imagine going back to work without him there. Especially after last night.”

“Are you afraid to go back?” Finlay asked.

“I would be.” Penny put her hand over her tiny baby bump.

“Me too,” Roni and Gemma agreed.

“Last night was terrifying, and maybe I should be afraid to go back, but I’m not. I won’t be taking the trash out by myself anytime soon, but I’m not going to let them keep me from living my life. I won’t do that again.”

“Attagirl. But you know, if you want time off, you’ve got it,” Red said.

“Thank you, but I don’t. What I need is to heal so I can learn to better defend myself.”

“That’s exactly what you need,” Dixie agreed. “You’ve come way too far to let those bastards drag you down.”

All the girls talked at once, sharing support and cheering Tracey on.

Dixie’s phone rang. “It’s Izzy on FaceTime. I hope that’s okay. She really wanted to talk to you.” She answered the call. “Hey, Iz.”