Starting Line || Carter Grayson

(21) Childish

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I just sat down in my office chair when Ryan came bursting through the door looking like a wild boar with sweat dripping down his forehead. It looked like he was just coming from a morning training session with the rangers and Nova when he plopped down on the couch. I looked over the top of my screen at him as he tried catching his breath.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked.

"What are you doing today?" Ryan asked.

"Nothing important. Just double checking logs and making sure payroll is in correctly." I clicked buttons on the screen and found the documents I needed.

"I need your help with something," he sat back up, "Could your work wait?"

"That depends, are you about to ask me for help with something incredibly stupid? If it is, bark up my boyfriend's tree. I'm sure he wouldn't mind getting into some trouble." I typed some passwords in and paid attention to the screen.

"I want to marry Nova." Ryan admitted to me.

If those words would have come out of anyone else's mouth but my brothers, I might have actually been shocked. Instead, I sat doing my work totally unphased by his commitment to my best friend.

"Okay," I rolled my eyes, "Tell me something I don't already know."

"Skye, I'm serious." he said, "I want, well need, your help picking out a ring. You know better than anyone else what she would like."

I looked up at him, seeing that he truly meant business. I'll admit, I was a little surprised at the suddenness of his proposal, but those two have liked each other for as long as I can remember, so I really shouldn't be shocked.

"Fine, I'll help..." I agreed, "But, we need to make sure Nova stays distracted today or else she'll be suspicious of both of us going into the city. And you owe me ice cream."

"Deal! Come on, I want to get this over with as soon as possible." Ryan jumped up and headed towards the door.

"I am not going anywhere with you looking and smelling like a wet dog. You can go shower first and I'll rope Carter into keeping Nova distracted for a couple of hours." I told him.

"Fine, I'll meet you in the transport bay. We can take my motorcycle." he said.

"When did you get a motorcycle?" I asked.

"It was actually father's. It's been in storage. I've been working on it the last few weeks and I think it's time to take it out for a spin." he told me.

"As long as you don't kill me." I muttered, "Go on now. Let me finish up here and go find Carter."

"He was heading to the galley when we left the training room. Might find him there." Ryan hollered as he disappeared into the hall.

I typed a couple of things into my computer before heading off my room to change from scrubs and into something more appropriate for the city. Shorts and a top for the sunny morning would suffice. After changing, Carter is exactly where my brother told me I'd find him. He had just finished up breakfast with Chad and Kelsey.

I walked up behind him and leaned into his side with my arm around his shoulders, looking around the room to make sure Nova was nowhere in sight.

"I was just about to come find you," Carter wrapped his arm around my waist.

"I need your help with something." I looked down at Carter.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I need you to distract Nova for a few hours while me and Ryan go out into Mariner Bay this morning." I told him.