Page 31 of Trusting the Team

“You must have some really good stories, working NCIS?” Maddox tried turning the limelight.

“I have one,” Dari answered. “But we all have at least one,” Dari continued referencing the other women, now all part of her husband's SEAL team.

“I don't have one,” Maddox immediately replied. “Ferret walked into the shop, nothing earth shattering about that.” Dari smiled knowingly; eventually she would come clean.

“I met Lowell, Cowboy, at a bar fight. And then later when the team was out on a mission I went and helped get them home.”

“If that’s the first story I can't even imagine the last one,” Maddox responded.

“We all don't have that kind of story,” Arianna started. “I met Trey when he was picking up his sister at school. I just saw him and that was it.”

Embry sighed, “The team saved me. I’d been taken hostage while on shore leave with a couple other Sailors. Gentry, Duke, was the first one I saw. Gentle, kind, and his accent,” Embry smiled.

28

HAMMER

Hammer walked into the bar with the team and their women. They settled at a table. Hammer went for the second round of drinks about an hour later. He’d recognized the bartender from when Trey had called him to help get his sister. The young, black bartender took his order. She was dressed differently than normal, catching his attention, her clothes loose instead of tight. When she set the drinks down, she caught his hand as he reached for the glasses.

He had warm, strong hands. She had been working at the bar long enough to realize these were military guys, despite their longer hair. He did not look attached to any of the girls, the group was heavy two males. They traveled as a comfortable team though. She remembered him and hoped he could help get her out of the hell she was in.

He leaned into the bar, giving the impression he was flirting, “What’s up?” She started to pull her hand back, he caught her wrist, engulfing the back of her hand with his palm. She stared up into his hazel eyes. “I’m not fucking with you. What’s wrong? You have been looking at our table since we walked in.” Leaning in closer to her ear he continued, “You aren’t dressedright either.” He felt the shiver through her body and her stifled reaction to pull away from his nearness.

Her boyfriend had not even noticed her clothing changes yet. What was she thinking? She shook her head, losing her nerve. Hammer’s eyes narrowed momentarily. “Do you have a pen?” he asked nonchalantly as he straightened his 6’ frame. She handed him a pen from under the bar. He scribbled his number on a napkin and slid both items back toward her.

As he sat back down at the table, he saw her put the napkin in the pocket of her jeans. “What’s going on, lover boy?” Chaos asked, already too many drinks in. Hammer shook his head.

Duke looked up between the bartender and Hammer, “Is everything ok?”

“I don’t think so,” Hammer answered honestly. They continued their night.

For the thirdround Hammer approached the same bartender. “Is he here?” he asked as she looked ready for an order. She shook her head, and he gave her the drink order. She turned to start making the order when she fainted. In one bound, Hammer was over the bar, crouched down, checking her pulse.

A co-worker had run from the other side of the bar, “Oh my god!”

“Hey,” Hammer was trying to rouse her.

“Brooke, Brooke is her name.”

“Brooke, can you hear me? Wake up, honey.” Brooke blinked awake. Hammer helped her sit up. “When was the last time you ate, Brooke?”

“I guess before I came on shift,” she answered lamely. Hammer’s eyes narrowed again. He looked up at her co-worker, “I’m going to take her to your break room.” Turning to Brooke, “Are you ok to walk?” Brooke nodded as she took his hand,and he pulled her to her feet. When she looked out from the bar, most of his friends were standing at the edge watching the whole thing. If she could blush, she would’ve. The team watched Hammer disappear with Brooke; hesitantly wandered back to their table, eyes on the door that separated them.

“You can’t afford notto eat,” Hammer started as soon as the door closed. “It doesn’t seem anyone has noticed you’re pregnant yet.” Brooke’s eyes shot wide open. “The way you carry yourself,” he answered her unasked question. “I don’t see a ring, so I assume a boyfriend. How does he not notice?”

“He thinks I’m getting fat.”

“You’re not fat,” Hammer muttered, his mind wandering, imagining her naked under him. She could feel heat on her cheeks again. “Is this what you need help with?” Hammer asked, pulling in his wayward thoughts.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have a two-year-old boy, and now this one, she caressed the side of her growing belly. I’m not going to be able to work too much longer and when the money stops, and he finds out…”

“How far along are you?”

“Eight months,” Brooke answered, tears starting.

Hammer wanted to kill something,she did not look over four months pregnant and she was nearly to term; obviously, she had been desperate to hide it. It could not have been easy. She was not skinny like Maddox, but her frame would not have hidden what should be 30 lbs without noticing. She was still pulling on size twelve jeans and simply leaving them open at the top. He wanted to take care of her, he did not want to leave her, he did not want to watch another man put his hands on her.

“My shift is going to end in an hour,” Brooke stated, wiping her eyes.

---