Their Blue-Collar Girl (The American Soldier Collection 4)

“You got a nice welcome before, Lori. Any of them your type?” Michelle asked.

“Yeah there were some real lookers there, sis.”

“I don’t know really. I’m not interested in dating right now. I have to find a job before the summer is out,” Lori said as she began peeling a second ear of corn.

“What kind of job are you looking for?” Michelle asked.

“Lori wants to be a teacher,” Maggie said before Lori could answer herself.

“That’s great, Lori. Do you have your degree already?” Michelle asked.

“No, unfortunately my sister and I have been traveling a lot and I plan on registering for school soon. I took some college courses at a local community college in New Orleans. I need to transfer them to someplace that will accept them here. I want to start right away but I need a job to pay the bills.”

“Where have you worked the past few years?” Maggie asked.

“She worked at a lot of different places. But I know she’ll get her degree and be a great teacher.” Maggie smiled at Lori.

“Well listen, Lori, I work on the education committee at the local town school. It’s a great place to work and there are a few positions coming available. I could probably get you started in a smaller position as a teacher’s assistant. It could be your foot in the door,” Michelle told Lori very seriously and Lori thanked her for the offer.

“Don’t worry I’ll get certified and finally get my teaching degree.” She felt her spirits lift.

Suddenly Andrew and Jasper appeared and interrupted the conversation.

“Hello, ladies, don’t you think we have enough corn yet?” Andrew asked as he squeezed his wife Michelle’s shoulders and joined the conversation.

“Ask your mom, Andrew. She’s planning to feed an army.”

Lori and Maggie laughed. Lori immediately picked up on the way Jasper and Maggie looked at one another then smiled.

“How’s your arm feeling, Lori?” Andrew asked and Lori immediately felt uncomfortable. She knew the question would lead up to how did it happen?

“Fine, Doc. No worries,” she said with a smile then rose from her chair.

“How did you break your wrist anyway?” Jasper asked, and Maggie immediately saw Lori’s reaction.

“She was playing a friendly game of soccer then fell right on her wrist and broke it. She’s beautiful but sometimes klutzy,” Maggie lied for Lori and Andrew locked gazes with her. Andrew already knew the truth. He watched as Lori made up an excuse to leave and Maggie changed the subject.

“I’m starving. When are we going to eat?” Maggie asked as Jasper responded to her and she watched Lori head toward the side of the house.

“Excuse me a minute will you, honey, guys,” Andrew said as he headed after Lori.

* * * *

Lori sat on an empty bench by the side of the house, only a handful of children were playing tag nearby and she was grateful to be alone. She hated having to talk about herself and her life. She didn’t want anyone else to know what she had done. That she helped send a man to his grave. That she broke her wrist as she fought to save her life and her sister’s and nephew’s lives. Here she was twenty-one years old, no college degree, just an education of the street life, staying safe on the run, just trying to survive. She didn’t want to just survive anymore. She wanted to live, be free of fear and complication.

She felt someone come around the house and wasn’t surprised to see Dr. Henley.

“Can I join you or do you want to be alone?” he asked cautiously.

“You can join me. This is your mother’s house, and I’m probably sitting on one of the benches that you used to sit on when you lived here.”

Andrew smiled as he took the seat next to her. “You might be right. I think I did use to sit on this bench. During large barbeques to get away from the noise and conversations.”

“What can I do for you, Doc? You didn’t come over here just to be friendly.”

He chuckled low as he looked down at the ground then back at her. She knew he was a sincerely nice man, so why was she still giving him shit?

“That’s not true, I wanted to see how your arm really felt. Your dad said you were feeling a bit under the weather and I assumed your arm hurt.”