only to be stopped by two teenage boys on the street. He could tell by Nate’s defensive posture and clenched fists that whatever he was talking about with the other boys wasn’t good.
He had met Nate a few days ago and saw so much of himself in the younger man that it was downright scary. There was a well of emotion hidden inside of Nate that Hammer worried would come out at the wrong time. He had been more surprised than anyone when Kali told him that Nate had been helping her make the dog treats. It had relaxed him to see how well Nate got along with Kali, Becca and Anna. He was always respectful to the women, and Hammer sort of liked knowing that the young man watched out for the women at the shop.
Not that he would ever tell them that.
When he had first introduced himself to the teen, Nate had been cautious to the point of being hostile. Taking his reaction in stride, Hammer had been patient, and the next few times they had spoken, the boy seemed to relax a little. The truth was, Hammer liked the kid and wanted him to see that he didn’t have anything to fear from older men. He knew it would take time for Nate to see that after what he had been through with his mother’s abusive boyfriend.
Hammer knew that from his own experience.
Not liking what he was seeing, he strolled across the street and heard one of the boys snarling at Nate. Nate was big for his age, but Hammer knew the two other boys played football at the high school Nate was now attending, and two against one was never good until you knew what you were doing.
“You think you’re some kind of bad ass because you’re from Dallas?” one of the boys taunted.
“I don’t even know you, so I don’t know what your fucking problem is.”
“My problem is you were flirting with my girl,” the other the teen growled at Nate. “I’m telling you, if I hear you talked to Claire again I’m gonna beat your ass.”
“I don’t know any Claire.”
“Liar. You were here with her yesterday.”
“I work here, so if your girlfriend was here I might have talked to her, but I wasn’t with her.”
“You work at a bakery? Are you gay or something?”
Nate sighed with exasperation. “I’m supposedly hitting on your girl, now I’m gay? You guys are fucking idiots.”
“What the hell did you call us?”
“Dude, we should trash this place. Get this asshole fired.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Hammer said casually behind the two young men. He saw them stiffen before they turned around to look at him, and he caught the smirk Nate shot his way. The kid didn’t back down even when confronted by two teens who were bigger than him. He had courage, but he could learn a thing or two about how not to rev his opponents up.
The teens’ eyes widened. “Oh man, you’re the Hammer! Dude, we’ve seen all your fights. You’re awesome!”
Hammer smiled, but it held an edge to it. “Yeah? It’s always nice to meet fans, but I don’t really like hearing someone threatening my girlfriend’s shop. Hey, Nate.”
Hammer walked around the two young men and held up a fist. Going with Hammer’s friendly greeting, Nate raised his fist and tapped it with his own. “What’s up, Hammer?”
“Shit, you guys like friends or something?”
“Yeah, and as I said, Nate also works for my girlfriend.”
Both young men’s jaws dropped open, and they stumbled over themselves trying to apologize. “We didn’t mean it.”
“We were totally kidding, man.”
“That’s what I thought,” Hammer said. Acting his part, he stood with his feet spread apart and crossed his arms over his chest, looking intimidating as he stared down the two teenage boys who shifted nervously on their feet. “I’d hate to have something happen to the bakery so I would have to call Sheriff Wyatt about it.”
The teens visibly winced. Sheriff Storm Wyatt was a good friend of Hammer’s. They had grown up together and served in the same unit when they were in the Army.
He had met Nate a few days ago and saw so much of himself in the younger man that it was downright scary. There was a well of emotion hidden inside of Nate that Hammer worried would come out at the wrong time. He had been more surprised than anyone when Kali told him that Nate had been helping her make the dog treats. It had relaxed him to see how well Nate got along with Kali, Becca and Anna. He was always respectful to the women, and Hammer sort of liked knowing that the young man watched out for the women at the shop.
Not that he would ever tell them that.
When he had first introduced himself to the teen, Nate had been cautious to the point of being hostile. Taking his reaction in stride, Hammer had been patient, and the next few times they had spoken, the boy seemed to relax a little. The truth was, Hammer liked the kid and wanted him to see that he didn’t have anything to fear from older men. He knew it would take time for Nate to see that after what he had been through with his mother’s abusive boyfriend.
Hammer knew that from his own experience.
Not liking what he was seeing, he strolled across the street and heard one of the boys snarling at Nate. Nate was big for his age, but Hammer knew the two other boys played football at the high school Nate was now attending, and two against one was never good until you knew what you were doing.
“You think you’re some kind of bad ass because you’re from Dallas?” one of the boys taunted.
“I don’t even know you, so I don’t know what your fucking problem is.”
“My problem is you were flirting with my girl,” the other the teen growled at Nate. “I’m telling you, if I hear you talked to Claire again I’m gonna beat your ass.”
“I don’t know any Claire.”
“Liar. You were here with her yesterday.”
“I work here, so if your girlfriend was here I might have talked to her, but I wasn’t with her.”
“You work at a bakery? Are you gay or something?”
Nate sighed with exasperation. “I’m supposedly hitting on your girl, now I’m gay? You guys are fucking idiots.”
“What the hell did you call us?”
“Dude, we should trash this place. Get this asshole fired.”
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Hammer said casually behind the two young men. He saw them stiffen before they turned around to look at him, and he caught the smirk Nate shot his way. The kid didn’t back down even when confronted by two teens who were bigger than him. He had courage, but he could learn a thing or two about how not to rev his opponents up.
The teens’ eyes widened. “Oh man, you’re the Hammer! Dude, we’ve seen all your fights. You’re awesome!”
Hammer smiled, but it held an edge to it. “Yeah? It’s always nice to meet fans, but I don’t really like hearing someone threatening my girlfriend’s shop. Hey, Nate.”
Hammer walked around the two young men and held up a fist. Going with Hammer’s friendly greeting, Nate raised his fist and tapped it with his own. “What’s up, Hammer?”
“Shit, you guys like friends or something?”
“Yeah, and as I said, Nate also works for my girlfriend.”
Both young men’s jaws dropped open, and they stumbled over themselves trying to apologize. “We didn’t mean it.”
“We were totally kidding, man.”
“That’s what I thought,” Hammer said. Acting his part, he stood with his feet spread apart and crossed his arms over his chest, looking intimidating as he stared down the two teenage boys who shifted nervously on their feet. “I’d hate to have something happen to the bakery so I would have to call Sheriff Wyatt about it.”
The teens visibly winced. Sheriff Storm Wyatt was a good friend of Hammer’s. They had grown up together and served in the same unit when they were in the Army.
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