Hopelessly Devoted {ManxMan} [Book II]

Chapter 15

Z A C H A R Y

We were there for another week before I decided I wanted to go back to France.

"Basile, I wanna go back."

He was caught of guard by my statement. He was currently working from his laptop like he had been doing this whole time. I loved him even more for making suck huge sacrifice for me, leaving something people thought he would never take a break from.

"To France?" He closed his laptop.

I nodded, "This isn't my home anymore, it wasn't when I moved to France and it isn't now."

He wrapped his arm around me and held me close, "When do you want to leave?"

"Tomorrow." I said holding onto the soft white shirt he was wearing at the moment.

"Okay, the jet is ready to take off when you are." He kissed my head.

I looked up at him and he pecked my lips.

I smiled and ran my hands through his still damp hair from his shower.

"Thank you." I said for the fifth time that day, "I love you."

"I love you, too." He said and kissed me again.

I cuddled into his side and let out a tired sigh, "I'm sorry, you didn't have to stop what you were doing."

"Just work, I was about to stop anyway."

I yawned and slid under the covers before attaching myself to him again and falling asleep.

* * *

I woke up to Basile already down stairs, most likely getting his morning coffee and sharing few words with my mother.

I stretched then got up and made my way down stairs to see Basile doing just as I thought, drinking coffee and speaking few words with my mother.

"Hey sweetie." She smiled putting a plate of muffins on the counter which I reached over Basile to grab.

"We are leaving today, mom. I'm flying back to France with Basile."

She gave a nod and I could see tears well up in her eyes.

I walked over to her and gave her a hug, "You can't expect us to stay forever, I'll visit every Christmas. I love you and I know dad... passed. But he wouldn't want us to sulk, he doesn't he said so in our letters."

She nodded and held on to me, "Aspen is going to, today. I've never had the house to myself."

"I'll get you a dog." I smiled.

She laughed and wiped her eyes, "I'll become the crazy dog lady."

"I bet." I laughed slightly.

"I'm sorry I'm leaving so suddenly but this isn't my home anymore. My home is in France, with or without Basile."

"With." Basile chimed in.

She smiled and hugged me again, "I'm gonna miss you so much more this time, but I understand, you have a life."

I nodded and kissed her cheek, "We are going to pack our stuff and head out."

She nodded, "Okay."

I finished my muffin and Basile finished his coffee then we walked up to our room and put all our things back in out suitcase which took a little longer than I thought it would.

Once we were down stairs Aspen was about to leave too.

I gave her a huge hug, "Where are you headed?" I asked her.

"I don't know yet, I'm just gonna drive until I find some place to call home." 

I nodded, "I love you." 

"Love you too." She said and we hugged our mom.

"Both my babies are leaving." She cried.

"It's okay mom." Aspen smiled as she kissed her cheek, "We'll visit."

I kissed her cheek too.

Once we pulled away my mother took Basile in for a big hug, one I know he wasn't comfortable with but patted her back gently anyway, making me smile.

"You take care of my boy, ya hear?" She wiped her eyes, "If I hear you hurt him, I don't give a damn how special you are, I will kill you."

Basile offered a small smile, "Yes, ma'am."

We all walked out of the house and hugged our mom one last time before getting in our separate cars and going our separate ways.

I leaned against Basile, feeling awfully tired and horrible for leaving my mother alone.

"It's okay, Zachary. You said it before, this isn't your home. Your mother will be fine, she is a strong woman." Basile said, reading my thoughts.

I ended up falling asleep leaned against him, only waking up when the jet was landing.

I woke up with a start and looked for Basile, he was still right beside me.

"I managed to carry you onto the jet with out waking you."

"I was asleep that long?" I asked in disbelief.

Basile simply nodded, closing his laptop, "You needed the rest, I think that's the first really good sleep you've had since we were there." 

He was right, I didn't wake up fifteen times while I was asleep and I didn't have a horrible dream.

"Do you want to go back to your apartment or back home with me?" Basile asked.

"With you." I spoke softly, still a little groggy from sleep.

We got out of the jet and into Basile's car and his driver drove us to his house. 

"I have work in the morning, love. So don't worry if I'm not here when you wake up."

I nodded but as Basile got ready for sleep I realized that I wasn't tired anymore. 

I grabbed my sketch book and went down into the living room where I sat down on his massive, comfortable couch and began drawing. I had drawn about five things before I realized the sun starting to come up.

I had drawn the view of lit up Paris through the window, two more flower drawings and two more of Basile. Just as I was finishing up the second drawing of Basile, he was walking down the stairs in an expensive suit, ready for a days work.

He saw me sitting on the couch and stopped, "Did you sleep at all last night?" 

I shook my head, "I had enough sleep on the flight here."

"Okay, well I have to go, I'll be back by six." He kissed my cheek and glanced down at my sketch pad, "I swear I will open a studio for you, you could make so much money off of these perfect drawings."

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know."

"I've already shown your artwork to people and there are people ready to buy it, you could make a lot of money, especially if you advertise it. We'll talk more when I get home, okay?"

I nodded and smiled, "Okay." 

When he left and I finished my drawing I decided to go to my apartment and see how much art supplies I had and how much more I needed to get. So after taking inventory I went to the local art store and bought what I needed before going back to my apartment and painting, that's all I did, even when I started feeling tired.

I had finished one whole painting of the landscape of Texas, back at the ranch that my mother now lived in alone.

Then I sketched the outline for the next painting which was of a horse and I managed to paint the back drop which was just mixing shades of light browns.

I sent Basile a text saying that I was at my apartment so he wouldn't be worried right before I fell asleep.

Sorry for the wait...