Kim Vs. Stepbrother

1

Kim

"Lucien told me yesterday that we were going to Vienna next month while he bought some country or something," Alicia says to the table. "But I guess they had a coup so we're not anymore."

There are a few murmurs of concern and it's pretty clear no one knows what Alicia just said. Derek tries his hardest to not roll his eyes.

"Babe, I was supposed to go to Vietnam to give a lecture on how to do business in other countries, but it ended up getting cancelled because we're going on a cruise," he tells her. "How much were you drinking last night when I was talking about this?"

"Just one cosmo," she says, blinking her large eyes at him trying to look innocent.

But that makes a lot more sense now the way Lucien said it. I can't help but smile. Despite the fact that Alicia has the ability to sometimes just act like a total Valley Girl and an airhead, I still love her so much. And I guess Lucien makes her so happy.

Actually the two of them are really cute together. She's a classic, cute, and he's a strong, dominating influence. But you can tell she totally has him wrapped around her finger. I doubt if Derek even realizes the extent to which Alicia has him under her spell.

"I can't believe you were thinking of going to Vietnam!" Ashley says with a squeal. She turns to her SO. "Why can't you send me somewhere awesome like that, Apollo?" she asks.

Apollo doesn't say much when it's a large group of us. I don't know if it's because he's shy or if it's because he just views us all with contempt.

But let me take that back.

I'm pretty sure from everything I've seen he is totally into Ash, so I don't think he views us with contempt.

I think what happens is that he's just not sure what to make of Ashley. Like Alicia, even though they've been dating and are so in love, he just doesn't understand what to make of her sometimes. I mean, you gotta think about it like this. Apollo Kane is this billionaire titan. And the same goes with Lucien who is this major player on Wall Street.

Both of these men are towering figures.

But these wispy lil' women with their Prada shoes and Louis Vuitton handbags, their La Perla lingerie and their Mac lipstick, their Sephora perfume, and their Forever 21 skirts basically just buzz around them like a little bird flies around a giant.

Time to time, they come into contact and apparently sex happens. You listen to both of my friends and they'll tell you that they have these giant monster orgasms where, I dunno, they see God or whatevs.

Whatever. I guess it's fine if they're happy.

But I'm just sitting here by myself—literally the fifth wheel in this group. I wouldn't even have come out tonight if Alicia hadn't forced me to. And once Ashley heard that I was free and in the city there was no stopping the two of them. You think one is bad? Try having both of them trying to get you to do stuff.

I mean, sure, I love hanging out with my friends and I get along just fine with Lucien and Apollo. No one is mean to me.

But, I mean, where's my guy who offers to pick up the whole tab? Where's my guy who I can hold hands with under the table? Or trade stories that make no sense and needs correcting for? Wh

o's looking out for me when I'm out so that I can just be a lil' girl and not have to worry about life?

I've had to take care of myself like this my entire life. Sure, Alicia or Ashley will roll their eyes if I ever complain.

"I mean, your stepdad is like, the owner of Connecticut," Alicia will say, and it's true to an extent; the man Mom ended up marrying last year owns a lot of property in Connecticut.

But where was he when I was growing up?

Where was my stepbrother Cody when I needed a man to help me learn how to drive a car?

"So, we're all set for this weekend, right you two?" Ashley asks Alicia and Lucien. "You guys are finally going to have the engagement party?"

We've finished dinner at Kittichai and are in the stretch limo that's taking us to the Time Warner Center.

"Finally," Alicia says. "We've only been like waiting on this party forever. You're all coming this weekend right?"

Ashley and Apollo nod and Alicia looks at me and narrows her eyes.

"I'm going too," I say defensively. "I'm actually going to go relax for a few days at my stepdad's place too then," I say.

"Isn't that in Southampton?" Alicia asks me and I nod. "That's perfect then, babe. You're like only a few minutes away from us."

"I just need to relax and lay out in the sun, ya know?" I tell her as we ride the elevator to the Stone Rose Tavern.

I know that's probably the one thing in the world I don't need right now, to be by myself even more. I mean, there's no way I'm going to meet Mr. Right Now if I'm hanging out by the pool on my own in Long Island.

But, it's not like I don't get a chance to go out.

I mean, I'm out now, aren't I?

"Can I buy you a drink?" a voice asks me and I turn toward it.

Cute guy. Nice bod.

I notice Alicia and Ashley start to steer their men a bit away from me, letting the guy feel a bit more confident to talk to me.

Alicia throws looks over, ready to jump in in a moment's notice. Ashley's different. She'll watch and if needed she'll step in.

"What do you do?" I ask as the bartender hands me a cosmo. I breathe heavily, hoping my boobs are going up and down and he's noticing.

"I work at Carter Jeffries in Private Equity," he tells me smoothly. "What about you?"

"I work for City Hall," I tell him, just as smooth.

"They Mayor?" he asks.

I nod.

"Didn't he have some scandal a year ago?" cute guy asks me.

"What was your name again?" I ask him, getting away from the topic that Mayor Anders doesn't want to talk about.

"I'm John Halpern," he tells me. "And you?"

"Kimberly Lubbers," I tell him. "But you can call me Kim."

Jim gives me a winning smile.