TEMPTRESS

IX.

ANGÈLE JOSÉPHINE MONET LAURENT CHASTIN - TOULOUSE, FRANCE 1968

"T'es de retour déjà?" She heard a voice coming from the back of the house. "I was just about to start preparing lunch for Alex and I." Adrien walked up to her in his dark purple swim trunks, his cigarette in his hand and the book he was still reading.

He paused in his steps as he looked at the stranger in the reading hall. "Oh, um, Adrien, this is Ethan, I met him during my attempt to golf. Ethan, this is my older brother, Adrien." She introduced them to each other, Adrien being the way he was, was stand-off-ish but shook his hand.

"It's nice to meet you, mate." He greeted her brother with a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you too." Adrien said in perfect English. "British?"

"You are correct." He smiled.

Adrien scanned the taller boy up and down. "London, I assume?"

"You're good at this." Ethan chuckled.

"Thank you." He smirked. "I was just about to get started on lunch; I believe you're joining us. You can help Angele set the table outside." He instructed.

She smiled with a nod. "Come, you can help me." She nudged the brunette.

He followed her into the kitchen and helped grab the white plates and the cutlery. They walked outside, the hot sun hitting their skin and properly set the table. "This is nice, we would never eat outside like this at home. It's a nice feeling."

"Yeah, did your parents prefer to stick inside?" She asked.

"Yup. In the main dining hall like we're some 17th century Brits." He smirked.

"That must've been fun." She joked.

They had finished the arranging the table and Angele had left him with Adrien so she could get dressed. The two men had started a conversation on Italian Renaissance art which she felt like she didn't need to be there for. She went to take a quick shower to wash off the sweat and got dressed into green gingham shorts and a white short sleeved embroidered tulle-trimmed poplin blouse. She tied her hair up into a ponytail, arranging her bangs properly.

Before heading downstairs, she stopped by Alexandre's room to check if he was in there. She knocked three times not hearing an answer. She opened the door revealing his empty bedroom and his messy bed. She made her way downstairs where the three boys were sitting and chatting waiting for her to arrive. "Hi." She greeted them with a small wave and took a seat next to Ethan.

She was able to notice how Adrien actually took a liking to Ethan but kept his distance while Alexandre was not really enjoying his presence as much but still joined in on the conversation, making it seem like he was enjoying the talk. "So, you lived in England?"

"Yeah. I spent was there was for three years. I only came back a year ago." Adrien answered.