Building Things

Derrick woke in the morning. He rolled over and saw the bed was empty, again. He went to get up to head into the bathroom. He was lightheaded this morning. To much wine and cognac, he thought. Well, that and the marathon pounding he took from Ty to the wee hours. God, he could fuck, and he never quit. Derrick was feeling a little sore also. He walked into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror before using the toilet, and smiled seeing all the little red lines from being wrapped up in the sheets too tight. They stood out on his olive skin.

"Derrick." Paul sang out, as he came into the bedroom. "You had better come and see what your hunkalicious carpenter is doing."

Derrick stuck his head out the door of the bathroom. "What?" He asked with a toothbrush in his mouth.

Paul leaned against the doorway, looking Derrick up and down, taking in his nakedness, sighing. "He is out pounding away on the garage. I have been watching him from the window in my room. My God, he is so hot. And speaking of hot, I heard you guys most of the night. He must be huge, the way you were moaning all night long."

Derrick remembered last night, very clearly and got slightly excited about thinking about it. He smiled to himself over it. He rinsed his mouth out in the sink and put his toothbrush up, looking at Paul.

"Let's just say, I wish I was that big." Derrick said as walked by Paul. Paul turned his head, following Derrick, still leaning in the doorway. His eyes were wide.

"Really?" Paul said softly. "I've gotta sneak a look at it then."

Derrick gave him a narrow eyed look, as he pulled on his cargos. "I don't think so." He said softly. He pulled out a sleeveless tee and pulled it on. "I need some coffee." He walked out of the room, down the hall and into the kitchen. He made a cup of coffee, taking a sip. He sighed in relief, feeling more human now. He set the cup down and retrieved his shoes. He slipped them on and made another cup. Grabbing both of them, he went out the back door, as Paul was right behind him. Derrick stopped and looked across the way, seeing Ty on the outside of the structure. He took Derrick's breath away.

Ty was working in cargo shorts only. His nail bags on. As he moved along the front wall, using the nail gun to finish each of the sheets, you could see the muscles in his back flexing, his broad shoulders, down to his narrow waist forming a sculpted vee. As he reached up the wall, his powerful arm flexed as he pressed the gun against the sheet, shooting nails into the studs.

Derrick sighed and walked down the steps, Paul behind him. They walked up to Ty, Derrick handing him one of the cups. Ty set the gun down on the grass and took the cup, smiling at Derrick.

"Thanks." Ty said softly, his body glistening from a slight sweat. Ty took a sip. "Mmm, that's perfect."

"Uh, no, you are!" Paul blurted. Ty blushed and smiled, looking at Paul.

"Morning." Ty said to Paul, then looking at Derrick with soft eyes. "Morning." He whispered to Derrick.

"Morning." Derrick whispered back. He leaned forward and gave Ty a soft kiss.

"That's more like it!" Paul said. Derrick turned and glared at him. Paul lifted his hands up a little. "Just sayin." He backed up a couple of steps. "So, tell me, what's the next step?"

"Waiting on the roofing material." Ty said, sipping more coffee. "Should be here soon. Probably by the time I get all the nailing done." Ty looked back at Derrick, who was just staring. "Are you going to call for an inspection?"

"Uh, yeah. Do you think we're ready?"

Ty nodded his head. "Yeah, if it's tomorrow. We'll be more than ready. Then we're ready for the electrician. You did get an electrician, right?"

"Uh, yeah. I didn't schedule him yet cause I didn't think we would be this far."

Ty smiled, after another pull from his cup. "Better call him. He can start his rough in now. Who is it?"

"Erickson." Derrick said flatly.

"Really." Ty nodded. "I've worked with them before. They do good work." Ty smiled.

"I use them all the time. Let me go call them." Derrick turned walking toward the house. He stopped, and turned back. "Want more coffee?"

"Sure. Thanks." Ty said, handing over his cup. "Did you say that there was plumbing out here as well?"

"Uh, yeah. Do I need to get a plumber?"

"You don't have one?" Ty asked. Derrick shook his head. "That could be a problem. I saw the stub for water in the corner, but what about the drains?"

"Hmm, didn't think about that one." Derrick said, his eyes wide. Ty shook his head at him.

"Come on. I'll go make a phone call. Maybe I can get someone." Ty dropped his nail bags and the trio walked into the house.

Phone calls made, more coffee, and it seemed that everything was set. Ty was sitting on a stool at the counter, but he perked up, hearing something. He walked over to a window and looked toward the street. He was right, the delivery truck was here with the roofing load. Ty asked Paul to move his car, which he did quickly. The driver backed in and tilted the bed of the big truck, letting the unit of lumber roll off the end, then he pulled away, allowing the lumber to drop. Ty signed the paperwork and handed the tag to Derrick. The driver secured the bed and drove away.

"I have to go into town a little later anyway, I'll take care of this while I'm running errands." Derrick said, holding up the tag. Ty smiled at him.

Ty returned to his nailing, and within an hour, he was completely done with the walls. He opened the unit of the tongue and groove that had been dropped and got busy putting it up, nailing it as he went, starting at the ridge and working his way down. Derrick and Paul helped by bringing him pieces, handing them up as Ty walked the rafters. Paul particularly enjoyed it, looking up into Ty's pant legs, watching him dangle inside his shorts.

With one side completely roofed, they switched and got busy with the other side, as the electrician showed up. Derrick went over and talked to him. They reviewed the plans on the table on the slab. They pointed every now and then to different areas, as Paul was watching, handing material up to Ty.

Within a few minutes, more people showed up, for the electrical crew. Supplies were unloaded and work for them began. Boxes were beginning to be nailed up, and holes drilled in the studs, wire was being run through those holes and pulled into the boxes.

A panel was installed on the outside of the garage, bringing the wire in the walls to it, and then a trencher was unloaded. Derrick did not want overhead wire from the house to the garage, so he was paying extra for it to be buried. The trencher began, making the path from the garage to the house, down the driveway to where the main power was. Another panel was installed on the house for the tie in.

Ty was finished with the roof, and just in time, as the electricians set about cutting holes in the roof for the overhead lighting. Wire was ran, and boxes were set. Everything was moving so fast, Paul was confused. Ty took him aside and explained it to him. Now, he understood what was going on.

About that time, the plumber showed up. He was a big man, with a large belly on him. He shook Ty's hand, then took him over to Derrick.

"Derrick, this is Bart, an old friend." They shook hands. "Thanks for coming on such short notice, Bart. You're saving my butt."

The big man smiled at Ty. "Your butt is always in need of saving, isn't it?" Ty smiled wide at his question. "I'm Bart Cummings. So I hear from him you need a bathroom out here?" He said to Derrick.

"It's kind of an after thought. This has gone from a garage to an office now. A bathroom would be nice."

"Well, obviously you're on a septic tank out here. You know where it is?" Derrick nodded and pointed over toward the other side of the house. "How big is it?"

"I had it replaced when I remodeled the house. It's about three years old. It's oversized for the need at fifteen hundred gallons. The leach field runs out away from the house," Derrick was pointing toward the open field on the far side.

"Hmm," Bart said. "That may be a problem if that lot is ever developed."

"I don't think so." Derrick said, looking out toward the open space. "I own the lot. Just haven't done anything with it yet. That's why it's bare."

"Well, that changes things, for the better, I'd say." Bart chuckled. "What about permits?"

"I have to go into town to run some errands. I'll have paper by this afternoon."

"Really?" Bart said flatly. "That will be a neat trick."

Derrick, turned and looked at the large man. "I don't think so. They always give me... consideration."

"Derrick's an architect." Ty stepped in, leaning close to Bart. "Believe me, he can pull it off."

"Okay then. Let me get some things and we'll get started." Bart walked off toward his truck.

Derrick and Ty stood there, watching all of the activity. Electricians running wire, coming in and out of the big door, walking past window openings, up on the roof, tacking wire down and bringing it in. And now, the big man returned, setting up his items for the plumbing rough in. Derrick smiled softly. Ty saw it and smiled as well.

"Well, I think I'm going to go into town. Would you keep an eye on things here for me?"

"That's why you have me here, isn't it?" Ty returned the question with a smile.

"Well, that and maybe a few other things." Derrick said with a smirk. He was watching Paul, who had retrieved his camera and was busy taking pictures of everything and everyone, having them strike poses now and then. "And keep an eye on him, will you?"

"It might cost you more, if I have to watch him." Ty said, with a smirk.

"Yep, this is going to be pricey." Derrick said as he walked toward the house. He went and took a shower and then got dressed. He gathered all of his items he needed and walked out the back door. Ty walked over toward him, looking him up and down, smiling.

"You always dress like that to run errands?" Ty asked.

"What?" Derrick asked, looking down at himself. His dark slacks, light blue button down. He looked down at Ty.

"You just look really good, that's all." Ty smiled out of the corner of his mouth.

"Thanks. I have to go to the office for a few minutes. Can't go in shorts." Derrick cleared his throat. "I'll be back in a while." Derrick walked down the steps and went around front and got into the Audi. He pulled out of the driveway and headed into town.

He stopped at the county offices first, seeking the permit that he needed. He went in and talked to the clerk at the counter. Paperwork for his current permits were pulled and amended. They gave him the cert copy and he thanked them. He walked out and drove to his office, downtown. He went in, seeing the girl from dinner sitting at her desk. He winked as he walked by, making her blush and smile. He walked into his office, looking at the phone, seeing he had messages, he played them, jotting down a few notes. Mostly, the messages were from builders asking about bids for upcoming projects. He would get back to them once he actually returned. But, one call was from a perspective client asking about an addition to their home. The message said they understood he was a vacation, but, to please call them back when he came in to work.

Derrick picked up the phone and called the number. He sat down at his desk. The voice on the other end was pleasant, an older sounding lady. They chatted for a few minutes, Derrick explaining he was still on vacation, but wanting to let them know he was checking messages. She was grateful for his call, and asked to set up a meeting. He was under the impression from her tone, that they were in a hurry to get things moving. He asked for the address and wrote it down. He said he could stop by shortly, if that was alright. He knew where the house was, in Hawthorne Estates, outside of town, a very exclusive area, with it's own country club and golf course. They hung up after she agreed to meet him.

He went and talked to his business partners, chatting with them for a few minutes, making sure there were no issues here at the office. They told him, 'not to worry, everything was okay, they could handle it, go do something fun.' He waved and smiled at them, saying he would see them in a week. He walked out, carrying various different plans we wanted to go over at home. He walked up to the girl again, on his way out, stopping.

"Dinner was okay?" He asked.

She smiled up at him. "Yes, it was. Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome. He wasn't too upset, I hope."

"No, he got over it. We had a really nice time."

"That's great." He looked around a moment, then back at her, leaning down a little. "Is it serious with you two?" She blushed. "Ohhh, I guess it is. He's really a nice looking guy, but I think he's the lucky one." Derrick winked at her. "Do me a favor, will you?" She nodded. "If anyone from Beckett Builders calls for me, would you give them the house number for me? There's some things I need to discuss with them." She nodded. "Thanks, Kim. I'll see you in a week." He walked out of the office, putting the plans in the passenger seat, and drove out to Hawthorne.

He pulled up to the address, and the sprawling house. It was an overly done Georgian, done all in stone on the front façade of the house. He parked on the cobblestone driveway and walked up to the front doors. They were massive, twelve feet tall, each four feet wide. He rang the bell. He waited a couple of minutes, until the door opened.

"Yes?" An older woman asked, opening the door.

"I'm Derrick Jacobson." He held out his hand. "Mrs. Van Owen?"

She took his hand, smiling. "Why, Mr. Jacobson, I had no idea that you would be here so soon. Please, won't you come in? My husband is in the study. Would you follow me, please?" She shut the door behind him.

"Please, call me Derrick. Mr. Jacobson was my father." Derrick said. She smiled at him, taking his arm, guiding him as they walked from the front entry, into a large open foyer, down a very wide hall, to the first room on the left. It was all done in deep mahogany, paneled, flanked with large bookcases, deep luxurious carpet. Near the large windows was an immense desk. At the desk sat an older man. He was writing as they walked in. He looked up and smiled, as he stood. She guided Derrick over to the desk.

"Dear, this is Derrick Jacobson." She let go of his arm. "This is my husband, Clayton Van Owen." Derrick stretched out his hand. The old man took it and had a firm grip.

"Thank you for coming so promptly, Mr. Jacobson. I know my wife only spoke to you a short time ago."

"Please, call me Derrick." He smiled. "Yes, I had just gone into my office to pick up a few things. I was checking my messages..."

"You weren't at work?"

"Uh, no, sir. I have been on vacation..."

"Is that so..." He said, as he came around the desk. "Won't you sit down? Drink?" He asked, as he walked over to an open bar, built into the wall. He pulled a decanter, pouring a little from into a waiting glass.

"Uh, thank you, no."

"I always have a small one in the late morning. My doctor says I shouldn't, but what the hell does he know?" He wiggled his eyebrows at Derrick, taking a pull from the glass. "Please." He said, indicating a large leather chair. Derrick sank into it.

"I'm not really sure why I'm here. Your wife's message said something about an addition?"

He took up the chair diagonal to Derrick, as Mrs. Van Owen stood near the desk, closer to her husband. "I have followed your firms progress, and have been impressed with the work it produces. We have need of an addition, yes, but not to the house." He chuckled, and then took another pull from the glass, looking up at his wife, then back at Derrick. "We understand that you are very competent in what you do. And, you come highly recommended. You have done work for some friends of ours."

"Well, thank you. But, I'm still confused. If you don't need an addition to the house, then...?"

"Let's go out back, and we'll show you." Mr. Van Owen said, rising from the chair. He set his glass on the desk. She took Derrick's arm again, and they followed Mr. Van Owen out of the study, into a massive formal dining room, and out through a large set of glass doors, that slid back on each other, opening the entire wall opened to the outdoors. They all stepped out on a large but narrow deck on the back of the house. "Out there." He pointed to the side of the hill. It was grass covered and obviously very well manicured. "We need a little addition built over there for our son. He will be coming home soon, and, well, he needs a place of his own."

"I see." Derrick said softly. "Did you have in mind to have it reflect what the main house looks like?"

"Yes." Mr. Van Owen hissed through his teeth.

"And how large were you thinking? As far as square footage?"

"Well, I don't think it has to be very big." He looked over at his wife. "What do you think they'll need, dear?"

She looked up at Derrick, smiling. "I want it to be comfortable for them." Them? Derrick thought. There was something they weren't telling him. "I would think, maybe like a cottage or just a small house in size. A kitchen, a bathroom, a living room, and a..." She was struggling.

"Bedroom?" Derrick volunteered.

"Yes."

"You said they, do 'they' need a second bedroom? Children, perhaps?" Her eyes widened at the thought.

"I should hope not." She said quickly, looking a little horrified.

"Alright, then. Small cottage, it is, single bedroom. What about access? To the driveway, in and out of the property. I'll have to pull plans on the main house, to find out utilities, water mains, drains, and so on."

"I have all of those in the study." Again, Mr. Van Owen hissed through his teeth. "I'll give you everything that I have."

"You mentioned he would be coming home soon. How soon would that be?"

"Well, that depends on how long you think this will take."

"Well, for me? It might be at most a couple of weeks to have final plans to you. As far as the builder goes? I can't speak for any of them. We aren't affiliated with any builders..."

Van Owen turned on Derrick, looking at him with a deep glare. "It has to be done, very quickly. I want you to handle everything from start to finish, everything. Money is not the object, I just don't want to deal with it. Whatever you need, you take care of. Your firm will be compensated well for the extra efforts."

"Well, there's a bid process to get the right contractor, then the permits..."

"Just handle it." Van Owen calmed himself a little. "I'm sorry. This whole situation has been a little unsettling for us." He cleared his throat, and looked at Derrick again, with softer eyes. "Is there a contractor that you trust?"

"A few. I'll make some calls and see who is available..."

"Is there someone who is...discreet?" She asked.

"Discreet? I don't see how that..."

"Our need is...sensitive. We don't want it advertised all over the area." She said, touching Derrick's arm, almost pleading with him. "We would like to have someone you trust to do the job. If it is done in a timely fashion, there will be extra...incentives."

"That's fine." Derrick was getting a really bad feeling about this. "I'll see what I can do."

"That will do then." Mr. Van Owen said in a firm voice. He shook Derrick's hand. "Thank you. My wife will show you out." He turned and walked back into the house. Derrick waited till they were alone. He turned and looked down at her.

"I don't usually work this way, Mrs. Van Owen. There are several things I still need to know. Once I have the plans drawn, there will have to be another meeting, and then signatures, paperwork processes. I'll do the best I can, but I'm sorry, I can't take it all on without your input. Surely, you must understand that?"

"Well, if that's the way it has to be, then I suppose so."

"I'm simply trying to protect your interests. There are those out there that would take advantage of a situation like this."

She smiled up at Derrick, patting his hand with hers. "My husband chose well, choosing you. I will make myself available for meetings with you. Will that be satisfactory?" She asked, as she was showing Derrick to the door.

"Yes." Derrick pulled out one of his business cards, writing his address on the back of it. "This is my address. Why don't you have the plans for the house and other paperwork sent there for me. Once I get them, I'll start immediately. Will that be alright?" She smiled up at him.

"Yes, it will. Thank you so much for coming." She opened the door for Derrick. "I can't wait to hear from you again." He took her hand, as he had stepped outside.

"It was a pleasure. Thank you very much. Good day." Derrick said.

"Good day." He heard the door close behind him as he had walked away. He got in the car and started it. This was strange, he thought. He looked at the house. He could see him, Mr. Van Owen, in the windows of the study, looking out over the driveway at Derrick. He put the car in gear and drove out.

He put the Van Owens out of his mind as he drove home. He pulled into the driveway and parked in front of the house. Most of the driveway was empty. Derrick pulled all paperwork out of the car and walked around. He walked up to the structure in the back, and was met by Bart, the plumber. Derrick handed Bart his cert card for the permit. His eyes went wide.

"Okay, I guess he wasn't kidding when he said you could get it done." Derrick smiled up at him. "I have some news for you, though." He turned around and walked Derrick back to the corner where the bathroom was going to be. "I kind of did my own layout, not knowing really what you wanted besides, sink and toilet." He was pointing at the stub in for the water pipes. "Hot water?" Derrick noticed a hole jack hammered into the slab for the toilet drain. It wasn't very neat, but he knew it would be fixed.

"I was thinking, on demand for the hot water. We'll probably need gas, right? Well, while we're at it, we might as well put in a shower. I think maybe a small unit. What do you think, Bart?"

He smiled at Derrick. "You're the boss. If you want one, I'll take care of it. Not to worry." He bent down and drew out some rough layout on the slab, looking back up at Derrick. Derrick cocked his head to one side, thinking. "What about that?" Bart asked.

"Nope." Derrick said. He bent down next to Bart, setting his paperwork out of the way. Bart handed Derrick the pencil. He marked out for a corner shower, moving the toilet over by a good couple of feet. "There, what about that?" Bart looked it over and smiled.

"Works for me. Water's already there, only have to tee the cold and move it over to there. But, I'll have to jack hammer more of the slab out for the drain."

"Costs extra, huh?" Derrick asked, being a smartass.

"Fraid so." Bart sighed.

"Well, it is what it is. Coming back tomorrow?" Derrick looked at Bart, smiling out of the corner of his mouth.

"That alright?" Bart asked.

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Derrick held out his hand. "Give me a bill now? Or later?"

"I would say, if Ty there can trust you, then you're okay with me. I can wait till it's done." Bart said, taking Derrick's hand in his giant paw, squeezing it firmly. Derrick smiled at him.

"Alright then. You can leave your stuff, if you want. I guarantee nothing will happen to it."

"I'm sure it won't. I'll see you tomorrow, then." With that, he walked away, shaking Ty's hand as well.

Ty walked Derrick around, showing him the electrical. He told Derrick about what the plan was for the trench and power tie in. Now that the trench was open, it had to remain open until the electrical inspections were over. The new service panel was going to be trimmed out and covered so it looked like a part of the structure. It would make even more weatherproof against the snow and rain that would be coming. Derrick was pleased that everything was coming together.

"Where's Paul?" Derrick asked.

"Oh, he left, with one of the electricians. Said he was going to give him a ride home." Ty said, with a smile.

"Oh, I'm sure." Derrick laughed. "He's probably going to get ridden at home." Ty laughed with him. "So, are you calling it a day?"

"Not much left to do, until we get the framing inspected." Ty looked at Derrick. "So, I was wondering if maybe..."

Derrick raised his eyebrows. "Wondering what?" Derrick asked, smirking.

"Want to...go into the house?"

"Wonder what the boss would say?" Derrick put his arms around Ty's powerful neck.

"He'd probably want to know what we were doing still standing here." Ty leaned in and kissed Derrick, firmly, powerfully, running his hands all over Derrick's back.