The American Soldier Collection 4: Their Blue-Collar Girl (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  Charlie watched Lori as she arrived at the party fashionably late. He couldn’t believe how fast the single men flocked around her, challenging each other for her attention. He didn’t know why he felt kind of relieved that his brother Trevor moved in to impede the other cowboys’ efforts, but he’d analyze that later. Right now he was getting an eyeful.

  “There’s Lori now. She was feeling a bit under the weather before. That’s why she’s late. I’d better go save her from those young men. She hates a lot of attention,” Lou said as he excused himself and headed to his daughter’s rescue.

  “She shouldn’t have come late then, huh?” Charlie said sarcastically as he turned the juicy chicken.

  “What’s your problem with her, son? You hardly know the woman and you’re holding a grudge still from weeks ago?” Phil asked as Matt smiled wide.

  “I think he’s stupid. Look at her, she’s gorgeous and sweet as anything just a little shy,” Matt added.

  “Stuck up is more like it,” Charlie barked.

  Both Phil and Matt looked at Charlie like he had two heads.

  “Son, you’re losing your mind. Be nice to her, you hear me. You don’t know as much as you think.”

  Charlie looked back toward Lori where Lou was politely taking her away from the mob of eligible bachelors. Was she some kind of princess or something? She needed her daddy to get her away from all those cowboys flocking her because of her beauty. Shit, that woman was probably playing everyone, even her old man. As the thoughts entered his mind, he felt his stomach clench with guilt. Why should I feel guilty for saying what it looks like? That woman is trouble.

  * * * *

  “How are you, honey? Is that arm any better? I was afraid you might not come,” Lou said as he held his daughter’s hand.

  “It still hurts a little and I was debating about being a no-show. I’m not up for all this socializing, Dad.”

  “Even with all these single cowboys around taking notice of you?”

  “Although there are a lot of handsome men around, I am surely not interested. Thank you,” she said jokingly, and her father gave her hand a squeeze.

  They headed toward the porch where the ladies were sitting.

  * * * *

  “It smells fantastic around here. Is there anything that I can help with?” Lori asked as Maggie grabbed her hand.

  “I’m getting ready to help peel the corn along with Michelle. Come help us.”

  They walked off the porch and onto the patio. There was a table covered with unpeeled corn and another table with corn ready to be dropped into the pots of boiling water.

  “Wow. Now that’s a lot of corn,” Maggie said and the ladies started laughing.

  Lori took a seat next to her sister and Michelle.

  “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.”

  “My dad tends to talk too much. I’m fine really. Your wife Michelle is very nice and your children are adorable.”

  “Thank you. Michelle said she enjoyed having lunch with you the other day and I wanted to tell you that I received your X-rays from Dr. Marcus in New York. I spoke to him on the phone as well.”

  Lori swung her head toward Andrew, knowing that Dr. Marcus probably told him everything. She was silent then looked away as she nervously rubbed her hand against the cast. Andrew moved closer, looked around, and then whispered, “He told me how you really broke your wrist, Lori. It was very brave of you…”

  “No, Doc. Please don’t say anything else about it. I don’t want to talk about it or about being heroic. All I want is this damn cast off my wrist and the attention from it to disappear.”

  “I think you’re receiving so much attention because you’re such an attractive woman. You’re new in town, in your twenties, single, everything a single man is looking for. It h
as nothing to do with your cast. I also think that your arm and elbow are hurting because it’s your body’s way of dealing with the stress you’ve encountered.”

  “You’re not talking about post-traumatic stress are you?”

  “Actually, yes, I am and I was wondering if perhaps you are experiencing any other symptoms. Maybe nightmares, anxiety?”

  Lori wasn’t sure how to read him. Was he being nosy or did he really care? She didn’t want to take the chance so she dismissed it.

  “So this is a party right, when do we eat?”

  Andrew reached out and touched Lori’s hand. She didn’t pull away but she wanted to as her whole body tensed up and she froze.

  “I want to help you, Lori, and I want you to feel that you can trust me. There are ways of dealing with this if you would like to know. Sometimes all it takes are some relaxation techniques, breathing or stretching and other exercises you could do to release the stress and pressure. Just let me know if you’re interested, okay?”

  All Lori did was smile and nod her head yes as Charlie came around the house.

  * * * *

  Charlie saw his brother sitting on the bench next to Lori and she looked a little upset.

  “Hey, Andrew, the food’s ready and Michelle is looking for you.”

  “No problem, Lori and I were just talking about the stream that borders our property. I was telling her how we all used to go swimming down there when we were kids. You still go there sometimes, too, don’t you?” Andrew asked his brother then winked at Lori.

  “Yeah sometimes but it can be dangerous for someone who’s not familiar with the area.”

  “Maybe you could show her after we eat. Tomorrow’s supposed to be eighty-six degrees and no breeze. The perfect temperature for a swim, Lori.”

  “That’s all right. He doesn’t have to show me. I think I jogged near it the first couple of days I was here. I can find it on my own. If you’ll excuse me, thanks again, Doc, I enjoyed the conversation,” Lori said as she smiled and walked away. Charlie looked at her as she passed him by.

  * * * *

  “I like her a lot,” Andrew said, and Charlie stopped watching Lori and looked at his brother.

  “You’re married for Christ’s sake. What the hell’s wrong with you sitting here alone with her holding her hand? What if someone else came around and found you two instead of me.”

  “Charlie, get real. I love Michelle and I wasn’t sneaking around with Lori. Cut your crap out, brother. You think I don’t know what’s going on here. You’re attracted to her and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look at another woman that way.”

  “Let’s go eat before you say something else stupid.”

  Charlie turned around to walk toward the front of the house and Andrew followed.

  “Keep lying to yourself, Charlie. She’s a good-looking woman. The first woman I’ve seen get a reaction out of you even if it is filled with piss and vinegar.”

  Charlie shot him a dirty look and Andrew laughed as he walked away from him.

  * * * *

  He just arrived in Houston. Another town, another job, he knew he had to stay steps ahead of the police and small-town law enforcement agencies were the easiest to fool and evade. This job was a simple one and he enjoyed scaring people for a living. Maybe if he was lucky when his job was over, he could take a small treasure with him. Small towns usually had naive, attractive young women, and there was sure to be one he’d like.

  He passed through the business district and headed toward Valley Stream. He would check out the small town and then decide the best location to lie low while he did the job he was hired to do. He saw a place, right off the highway en route to the town. He could rent a hotel room and stay unnoticed. He planned on taking a ride through the town first thing in the morning. He pulled into the parking lot of the Days Inn prepared to make it his home for the next few weeks at least.

  He requested a room on the far end of the building where he could park his car right in front of his hotel room door. He accepted the key from some wiseass punk clerk who was too busy flirting with the little bimbo instead of doing his job professionally. That was fine with the stranger as he politely left the office and headed toward his room. He didn’t have to worry about being identified by the punk kid if the cops got too close. Plus, he was wearing a disguise to ensure that he didn’t get caught. That way, if the urge got to be too much, he could sneak a little delicacy in through the back exit door late at night and no one would notice a thing. He sure did like the pretty little Texas accents women had. He’d find one. Maybe sooner rather than later to feed his hunger.

  The stranger entered the room and began to settle in a little as he put each item in a specific location and left his clothes in his suitcase. He needed to stay organized and be able to leave in a hurry if necessary. Now all he had to do was wait for his new boss to call and plan his first attack. He looked forward to it and hoped the boss would change his mind about “nobody gets hurt.” What fun was that?

  Chapter 6

  “I saw you talking to Andrew and Charlie before. I guess he’s starting to act a little more friendly?” Michelle asked Lori.

  “I wouldn’t say that considering he was rather rude and barked at me. I don’t know what his problem is,” Lori said as she looked toward Charlie. He was sitting at a table with her father and his father eating the delicious food.

  “Don’t mind him, Lori, his bark is bigger than his bite. Charlie, Trevor, and Dante changed after serving in the military. They can be kind of abrupt and snappy. But they’re good men,” Michelle told them.

  “They’re single?” Maggie asked, and Lori gave her a shocked expression.

  “What? I can’t ask for you?” Maggie stated.

  “For me? No, I’m not interested in dating at all. I’ve got too much going on. Too many plans. Maybe it’s you that’s interested?” Lori teased her sister back and Michelle laughed.

  “Not for nothing, but I don’t think they’re interested in Maggie. Jasper on the other hand, maybe.” Michelle joined right in the teasing, and Lori laughed as her sister blushed and shyly lowered her head.

  Michelle gave Lori a little nudge with her elbow. Lori looked at her.

  “The three of them don’t date. They never bring any woman home and I mean ever.”

  “Why don’t they?” Lori asked as she turned to look toward Charlie. Now Dante and Trevor were standing next to him and all three turned to look toward her. She nearly gasped at the power of their stare. One of them could send her heart pumping, just from their stare, but three at once? God help me.

  “They’ve been more into the one-night stands, quick flings, and no strings attached. I guess it makes them feel in control. A lot of women want to date them but they don’t seem interested. It’s like they’re waiting for someone or they have such guards up over their emotions that they won’t risk letting go a little. I don’t know really. It’s just my observation over the last year or so. You know, those three do everything together. And I mean everything.” Michelle raised her eyebrows.

  Lori didn’t get it.

  “You know, while I was in town with Ben and Mom, I saw some couples walking around, but there were like two and three men with one woman. What’s that all about?” Maggie asked.

  Lori swallowed hard. A quick glance around the yard and it didn’t take a genius to see that some rather unique relationships were publically accepted.

  “Oh, you mean the ménage relationships? Yeah, that’s like a totally normal thing around these parts. Andrew’s best friend from medical school shares his wife Elizabeth with his two brothers. They’re so totally in love with her, too. We visited them last year. It was amazing to see,” Michelle told them.

  “That’s just crazy,” Lori whispered then glanced back toward Charlie, Dante, and Trevor. They were big men. Strong and muscular and filled with so much attitude and testosterone it would take a saint of a woman to even deal with conversing with them. She shook her head and tu
rned away. What the hell am I even thinking about?

  “You see that pretty little brunette over there in the white dress talking to the handsome fellow in the tight blue jeans? Her name is Missy and she was infatuated with Charlie. He showed no interest and now she’s engaged to the fellow she’s talking with.”

  “Sometimes uncontrollable circumstances happen in life and they change a person. Other people around them might think it’s no big deal but for the person dealing with it it’s huge. Hopefully he’ll see someday that life only gets better if you make it happen,” Lori stated as she peeled another ear of corn.

  “I never looked at it that way before, Lori. You’re such a nice person. I can tell you have a big heart. I guess that’s why we’ve gotten along so well so far.”

  Lori smiled as she looked back at the table where Charlie was before. He was no longer there and suddenly Ben was pulling on her leg.

  “Aunt Lori, that lady over there has been singing some songs to the kids. I told them you have a great voice and about the song you sing to me all the time about the spider and the boy. Can you come sing it to them? Please,” Ben asked as the children and a woman playing the guitar called her and Ben over.

  Lori reluctantly followed Ben to the crowd of children.

  Matt quickly pulled over another bucket, turning it upside down for her to use as a seat. He winked at her and she smiled. It appeared that Matt Henley was a flirt and then some.

  Lori introduced herself to the woman playing the guitar who was glad that someone else was taking over. Lori borrowed her guitar and started fooling around playing some quick funny notes, talking to the children. It was a bit awkward with her cast on but she had plenty of practice, thanks to Ben.

  “So who wants to hear about the spider and the boy?”

  The kids quietly answered and Lori repeated her question telling them to answer more loudly. The cheering caused some of the other adults to turn around in their seats and watch the show.