Page 11 of Trusting the Team

Cautiously Dari slid off Bubba, moving away from the stranger. “Dari, this is Austin,” Bubba finished the introduction.

“Lowell is my first name,” Austin continued.

“Ok, well, have a nice day,” Dari said, grabbing Bubba's arm and dragging him toward their spot.

“I saw you awhile back at Ace's. I haven't seen you since, I’ve been looking.”

“Last time I was at Ace's I caused a bit of a ruckus.”

“It was amazing!”

“What?”

“You knocked me to the floor,” Lowell answered. “You were amazing. Just, wow.”

Dari could not find her balance with this guy, “Clearly you didn't see what one of those guys did to me after it was all broken up.”

“I did. But it looked like your team had it under control.”

Bubba slipped off when his son came down to meet him and take him toward the food.

Dari looked up at Lowell, “I don't understand the game. What do you want?”

“I just want to talk. We can sit down right here, in the middle of everything.”

“Ok,” she tested. He sat down, looked up at her. He reached for her hand, she pulled away but tentatively sat down. “What do you want to talk about?”

“You.”

“Boring subject.”

“I doubt it. You have got to be one of the youngest NCIS analysts ever, on her way to agent, when she is old enough to carry. You out maneuvered four people in close quarters and just walked out. I'm guessing there is plenty I still don't know.”

“Maybe you should join a fan club.”

“I could be the President of yours.”

“What team are you on?”

“Besides yours,” he smiled at her.

“Can you stop, you're creeping me out.”

“My team isn't active yet, but we got invited to come out.”

“How do you know anything about me?”

“Your team is a legend,” he motioned to their space on the beach. “You made a big splash when you put one of them on the ground. Now there is questions about the new slash old girl.”

“Are you trying to get brownie points with these guys,” she motioned to the teams spaced out across the beach. “Maybe you should ask what all the gossipers want to know so we can get this over with. You can go find a girl interested in you.”

“Damn.”

“I’m serious.”

He looked at her honestly, “I'm sorry, really. I'm not looking for brownie points, I’m not gossip seeking. I don't care about anyone out here,” he waved his arm out. “My name is Lowell Austin. I'm in the Navy, waiting to be on an active SEAL team. I'm 26, from the Northeast, I'm the middle of five. I like animals. I don't listen to rap.”

“Favorite food?”

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