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

“So how long have you liked architectural designing and building things?” she asked. Now it was Charlie who was caught off guard. He wasn’t quite sure if he wanted to explain his life to Lori just yet.

“Well I have a degree in engineering and architectural design. I have my master’s in business.”

“Really? That’s fantastic, Charlie, did you ever work in the field or what? Because I thought you and your brothers were in the service?”

“Trevor and Dante have their degrees in engineering and architectural design, too. When I got out of the service a few years back, I looked into working in the city for a bit, but things didn’t work out well. I liked being around home more.”

“And what about you, Dante?” Lori asked.

“The three of us like taking on smaller projects now. We built our house together,” he said.

“That is amazing. Your parents must be very proud of all three of you.”

Trevor took her hand and brought it up to his lips. He kissed her knuckles.

“I missed you,” he whispered and she blushed as she shyly looked down.

They all continued to walk and look around. Charlie and his brothers paused a moment to observe a group of young soldiers in uniform enjoying the festivities. They were flirting with some girls and having a good time.

“They look like babies,” Trevor said rather somberly.

“They sure do,” Dante added.

“They won’t look like that when they return home,” Charlie added.

“No, they sure won’t,” Dante said.

“You sound like if you could tell them to not become soldiers you would,” Lori stated.

“It’s not all glory and excitement like the way it’s portrayed on television or in the movies.”

“It sure the hell isn’t,” Trevor whispered.

“You saw a lot of bad things while you guys were serving, huh?” Lori asked.

Dante took her hand and stared down into her eyes.

“Things we’d never talk about.”

“Things you’d never understand,” Charlie stated. She looked at him then continued to walk along. When she spoke, they all listened.

“Sometimes events happen in life that are out of our control. If a person can get over the shock of it all, believe that it was truly out of their control, then maybe, just maybe, they can move on, continue living again, and hopefully survive. It sounds like you guys did that,” she told them softly as she continued to look straight ahead. Charlie stopped her by holding her arm and moving her next to a building they were passing. They were in a less crowded area of the fair and no one seemed to notice them by the building.

Lori looked up at Charlie who stood a good six inches above her. He still held her arm, then placed his free hand against her cheek.

“How do you know how we feel?” he asked her rather angrily.

“Maybe I get it. What’s the big deal?”

He pressed her body snugly against the building. His brothers flanked her on either side.

Trevor touched her cheek and tilted her chin up toward him.

“You’re too young, too innocent to get it.”

She shook her head, making him release her chin.

“I’m not a kid like you keep calling me, Charlie. You don’t know everything.”