"Screw you," Carter said and lowered his voice as another officer in the building gave them a strange look through the window of the conference room. "At least I was actually deployed and saw combat. You've spent your contract sitting behind a desk."
Carter saw his brother's face redden. He knew it was a sore point for him. He felt bad going for the kill, but he hated it whenever his family talked down to him.
"You and Dad," Carter said, "all you do is complain about me. I never did anything to you. I certainly don't have a bunch of kids running around like Uncle Walter."
"Grant isn't a bunch of kids," Mark countered, "just one. And you better not have any kids!"
"I use protection!" Carter bragged. "I go through boxes of condoms."
"You are out of control," Mark said, a disapproving look on his face.
It was a lie. Carter didn't like casual hookups, though he certainly pretended to. He was scared of running into someone like Danielle, his now-deceased aunt who had murdered his baby cousins and her own parents by setting fire to her historic house. She had also almost killed his cousin Grant and his then-fiancée, now-wife Kate. Carter didn't trust any of the women who hung around the Les DesChamps base. He knew they only wanted him for his money and status.
He always told himself that he would find a nice girl and settle down once he was out of the military. He was fast approaching thirty, though, and he wasn't sure if that would ever happen.
Mark rubbed his temples. "I didn't call you here to argue."
"Of course not," Carter said. "You just want to berate me about my future plans."
"You need to think about it," Mark said. "I was talking to Dad earlier this morning—"
Carter made a disgusted noise. "If Dad wants to tell me something, why doesn't he call me himself instead of going through you? I’m so tired of him. I don't even want to go home for Thanksgiving."
"Your leave was already approved," Mark reminded him.
"I don't have to go."
"Then you lose it."
"So what?"
"Just come," Mark said. "Grant will be back. You guys can talk about your post-military plans. You could go work at Holbrook Enterprises, maybe move into a sales role."
"I'm not going to be some road-warrior sales douche," Carter said, crossing his arms.
"Kate wants to set you up with one of her friends," Mark told him.
"Who?" Carter was interested despite himself.
"One of the Davenport sisters. Liz."
Carter nodded. He knew Liz.
"And I bet this is a Dad-approved suggestion."
Mark pursed his mouth but didn't say anything.
Carter smiled bitterly. "Of course it is."
"Mom wants to see you. Stop being so selfish," Mark said, standing up.
Carter jumped out of his chair. "So that's it. Conversation is over, huh?"
"I have to finish reviewing my code for this drone software program I'm writing," Mark said.
"Great. Glad I wasted my time coming over here," Carter snapped at his brother. "Don't bother walking me down. I can see myself out."
Carter fumed as he marched back to his barracks.
