Paint Me, Professor - The Sequel | Student-Professor Erotic Novel | 18+

Chapter 10 - Family

Christopher
***

Mrs Bardot opened the lid of the serving platter, steam escaping from within. The colorful Ratatouille was a feast for the eyes, but the smell was even more divine. To accompany the french classic, the former chef cooked a perfectly seared flank steak. I knew how well Ali cooked, so I was sure I'd be nothing but blown away by Mrs Bardot cooking.

"This looks delicious, thank you so much," I said immediately, expressing my feelings candidly.

"It was super simple to do," she said, sitting down and pulling her chair forward. "Have you ever tried Ratatouille?"

I looked at Ali who was sitting beside me. "Uhm, I don't think I have, no."

"Why are you looking at me?" Ali asked, placing her napkin on her lap. "It's not my fault."

"Well honey, it kind of is," interrupted her father who was sitting opposite Ali. "You deprived this young man of a French culinary classic."

"Okay, I see your point, but at least he gets to try Mom's recipe which is ten times better than mine."

Anne reached for my plate to serve me while Marc poured the wine into Ali's glass.

"Against facts there are no arguments," the woman replied with a cheeky smile as she served me a generous portion of the vegetable dish.

After this small interaction, I could see parts of Ali's personality in her parents. Her sassiness, ease in social settings, humor, and intelligence undoubtedly were shaped by her family dynamic.

It was easy to feel at ease with the Bardot's. Since there was no tension between them, they were solely focused on making me feel welcomed and relaxed, a sharp contrast with how my parents behaved when I was still living with them. There was always some tension in the room, and I, being the one bringing in the guest, had to do all the work to make our interactions run smoothly.

Just as if on cue, Marc spoke up, delving deeper than the superficial small talk.

"Are there any prodigious cooks in your family Christopher?"

"Not particularly," I replied. "I had to learn how to cook on my own."

I noticed from the corner of my eye the look Ali gave her father as if she was telling him not to question me further. Did Ali tell her family about my relationships with my parents beforehand? Why didn't she tell me she had?

I kept my eyes on the wine, not sure how to fill in the silence.

"Well, if you ask me, I think you have greater merit for working hard at a skill rather than inheriting it," said Anne.

I smiled. Did she say that to avert the family topic at Ali's request or did she notice my unease?

"See Ali? Your mom thinks I have more merit than you," I joked, nudging her with my elbow. The table laughed at Ali's incredulous reaction. The next few minutes consisted of Ali explaining why she deserved the praise.

"I've no doubt that if everything fails you'd be able to get a job at a restaurant," teased Anne. Ali was extremely successful in her own right and everyone knew it. "But speaking of working, what do you do Christopher?"