Page 7 of Privilege

She loved cars.

“When did you get this?” Lucia asked.

“Picked it up yesterday. You like?”

“A lot.”

“I should have known what with you being the little car whore and everything.”

Lucia flipped her brother the middle finger. “Don’t call me a whore.”

“I said a car whore, Lucia. It’s a compliment.” John chuckled. “Get in. We’ll go for a drive, and then I’ll bring you back to pick up your car.”

“Okay.”

Lucia didn’t need to be told again. She jumped into the passenger seat, flinging her bag to the floor of the car. John climbed in his side and started the beauty, revving the engine until Lucia was grinning like crazy.

“I sincerely hope whatever man you find realizes that you have expensive taste,” John told her.

“Yeah, I know. I blame it on Dad.”

John smirked. “I blame it on Dad, too.”

Lucia fiddled with the stereo system the car sported while her brother drove them straight back into the heart of the city. She barely noticed time flying them by at all. Despite the fact that there was a thirteen-year age gap between her and Johnathan, she always felt closer to her brother than she had her older sisters.

“So,” John drawled, bringing Lucia out of her thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Andino was pretty insistent you wanted to see me. What’s up, kiddo?”

“Well, that, for one.”

John’s brow furrowed. “Pardon?”

“I’m turning eighteen next month. Can we cut out the kid nonsense?”

Chuckling, John said, “Sure. My bad.”

Lucia settled back into the passenger seat, watching the buildings pass them by. “I haven’t had any time with you since you got out. You’re avoiding Mom and Dad, so apparently, that means staying away from me, too.”

“Yeah,” John said, cringing, “I hadn’t thought that one out very well.”

“Obviously.”

“Sorry I missed your graduation.”

Lucia shrugged. “It’s okay.”

“No, it isn’t. I heard you graduated with high honors.”

“I did,” she said.

“And got an acceptance to every college you applied to.”

“Yep.”

John smiled. “Smartest one of us all, Lucy.”