Fourth installment to the 'Perfect' series, but can be read alone. Let me know what you think!
"Yes, Sir, I understand, but we are trying to-" Tyler sighed as he was cut off yet again by the client on the phone. He had been talking to the same client for two hours now trying to get him to understand that Tyler did not have to fly all the way California just to watch his fiancé sign the pre-nup that the man insisted on getting.
"Sir, I can assure you that my associate is just as qualified to notarize the pre-nup as I myself am," Tyler glanced at the clock on his wall and sighed again as he ran his fingers through his hair. Another late night at the office, Jeremy was going to be pissed. "Yes, I know Sir and I am honored that you think so highly of me, but my associate at our San Diego office has the exact same degree as I do."
The computer on Tyler's desk dinged and he watched a message pop up on his screen.
Whatcha doing?
Tyler rolled his eyes and smiled as he cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear and used both hands to type a message back.
Dealing with this client who wants me to fly to California to watch his fiancé sign a pre-nup.
Tyler hit send and waited patiently as the other person messaged back.
If he wants a pre-nup, why bother with a marriage?
He sighed again and typed back,
I don't know, babe. Some people I guess.
To be completely honest, Tyler didn't understand the reasoning behind pre-nups either. If you don't trust the person enough and feel like the marriage isn't going to last anyway, why get married in the first place.
It would be a nice vacation though. Sun…beach…no kids…
Tyler snorted and rolled his eyes again, "What? Oh, no Sir, I wasn't laughing at you," Tyler said into the phone that he forgot he was still on. "No Sir, I don't think you're situation is funny, I think that this is very serious and that you need to keep your money safe from whomever may want to take it from you, even your future wife."
Tyler relaxed a bit when the client agreed with him and continued to try to talk Tyler into flying to California.
The sun and the beach would be nice…but I would miss the kids too much…and you even more.
You're going to be late again tonight huh?
Tyler leaned back in his chair ran his fingers through his hair and glanced at the clock again before glaring at the pile of papers on his desk.
Yeah, probably.
Okay, hopefully I'll see you in the morning. I love you.
I WILL see you in the morning. I promise. I love you, too. I'll see you soon.
Tyler sighed heavily as he watched Jeremy sign off before signing off himself.
"Sir, from what I am hearing it sounds like you don't trust your fiancé much so why get married?" Tyler mentally smacked himself and actually face palmed when the client started to loudly explain that he loved his fiancé very much and that 'it's not her I don't trust, it's her good for nothing, rotten 15-year-old who is after all of his money'.
Yeah, it was going to be a long night.
"Mmm?" Tyler moaned and rolled from his back onto his side facing Jeremy's side of the bed. He reached out with his eyes still closed, expecting to find his partner's warm body laying next to him, but instead came into contact with a much, much smaller body laying in the spot.
Tyler cracked open one eye and smiled sleepily when he saw his 8-month-old daughter lying on Jeremy's side of the bed. She was on her back with one foot kicking the air wildly and the other securely between her hands as she held it still for her to bite at.
"What are you doing, silly girl?"
The baby's eyes widened when she heard her daddy's voice in her ear and she let go of her foot and started moving her head around looking for the source. Finally, her eyes landed on Tyler and the biggest, toothless grin Tyler has ever seen filtered across her face.
Tyler grinned as he propped himself up on his elbow and reached out to tickle the baby's belly, "Were you chewing on your toes? You know that's not what we do with toes, goofy!" Tyler chuckled as the baby squealed loudly with laughter.
He continued to tickle the baby and talk softly as the baby continued to giggle with glee. A sudden movement caught his attention and he turned to the look at the corner of the room where he hadn't noticed Jeremy sitting before.
Tyler's hand stopped its torture on the small body and settled his hand lightly on her chest as he gazed softly at Jeremy. The younger was sitting in the overstuffed arm chair with his head down and was scribbling fiercely in his sketch book. At the sudden silence that fell over the room, Jeremy lifted his head in confusion and froze when he noticed Tyler had caught him.
"Whatcha doing?" Tyler asked softly and tilted his head a little making him look like a curious, over-grown puppy.
Jeremy's cheeks turned a light shade of pink and he lowered the sketch book as he slide the cover back into place, "Just working on a new piece."
Tyler cocked an eyebrow and smirked lightly, "Can I see it?"
Jeremy rolled his eyes and smiled as he stood from the chair and slide the book into the chair before making his way to the bed, "Now, you already know the answer to that."
Of course Tyler knew the answer; it was a big, fat NO. Jeremy had a thing about not letting people see his drawings before they were done, something about the process and patience, Tyler wasn't really sure. When Jeremy tried to explain it to him last time, Tyler had gotten distracted by the lead smudges on Jeremy's face and proceeded to try kissing them away.
"Can I at least have a hint?" Tyler asked as Jeremy crawled into bed on the opposite side of the baby and settled his hand on top of Tyler's.
"Not knowing isn't going to kill you, Ty," Jeremy laughed as Tyler huffed in annoyance, "But, I think it's going to be the center piece for my next show."
Tyler raised his eyebrows and whistled lowly, "It's that great huh?"
Jeremy smiled softy and linked his fingers with Tyler's as his cheeks flared red once more, "I think it will be."
Tyler laughed a little and leaned across the baby to kiss Jeremy's overheated cheek softly, "Everything you do is great," he whispered and captured Jeremy's lips in a soft kiss.
A soft cry and slight squirming from between them had them pulling apart before they wanted to. "Looks like someone wants more attention." Tyler laughed as he pulled away to look down at the red faced baby.
"Reminds me of someone I know," Jeremy raised his eyebrows and gave Tyler a pointing look as the baby cried out again. "Just like daddy," Jeremy chuckled and kissed the baby's soft cheek before standing up and walking towards the bathroom.
"I don't know what he's talking about," he whispered to the baby who was blowing spit bubbles and giggling happily.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Jeremy answered as he walked back into the bedroom with his toothbrush in hand, "Now, get up and get dressed. The twins are at school and we have to finish Christmas shopping today."
Tyler groaned and buried his face in the baby's belly and whined, "Do we have to?"
"Yes, now come one. We have to finish with the twins and we still have to get your mother something." Jeremy swatted at Tyler's butt and poked him in the side when Tyler groaned again, making the baby giggle.
Rolling his eyes, Jeremy leaned down and pressed his lips to Tyler's ear softly, "I'll make it worth your while," he whispered as he nibbled gently on the lobe of Tyler's ear.
Instantly, Tyler perked up and jumped to his knees, narrowly missing Jeremy's nose with his forehead, "Come on Kiley, we got shopping to do!" Tyler swept the baby into his arms and fled from the room leaving a laughing Jeremy in his wake.
"I understand, Sir, but there is nothing I can do at this moment." Tyler rubbed his eyes tiredly and sighed.
He was still dealing with the client who wanted the pre-nup signed and Tyler to be present at the signing. The client wanted to do the signing tomorrow, Christmas day. There was no way Tyler was going to swing that one, as it is Jeremy wasn't too thrilled when he found out Tyler had to go in on Christmas Eve and talk to the client via phone once again.
"Look, Sir, this is completely out of my hands. There is nothing I can do from the East coast," he paused to listen to the client and sighed again, "No, Sir, I cannot come to California, not now, not tomorrow, not next week."
Tyler glanced up when he heard a soft knock on his door and smiled softly when he saw Jeremy holding Kiley and the twins in tow. He waved them in before motioning to the phone and putting finger over his lips in a shushing motion.
Jeremy nodded and turned to the twins and motioned for them to be quiet when entering daddy's office. The twins looked at Jeremy, then at Tyler and both nodded as Jeremy finally opened the door and let them walk in front of him.
The twins calmly walked over to one of the oversized chairs sitting in front of Tyler's desk and squeezed themselves into one together. Jeremy quietly sat in the other chair and bounced Kiley on his knee and tickled her sides lightly making her giggle lightly.
"Sir," Tyler abruptly interrupted his client, "I'm going to have to call you back. Something has come up. I'm going to switch you over to my assistant and have you set up a time with her that you can call back." Without another word, Tyler pushed a few buttons on the phone and explained to his assistant that she was to set up a time for him to talk to the client again sometime in the future.
"And when you are done with him go home." Tyler said into the mouth piece.
"Sir?" his assistant asked confused, after all it was only 11 o'clock in the morning.
"It's Christmas Eve, Andie. Go home, I'll see you after New Years, no arguments. Merry Christmas." And with that he hung up the phone.
"So does this mean you have the rest of the day off too?" Aidan asked from his spot beside his sister.
"It does now," Tyler smiled and laughed when both of his 8-year-olds cheered loudly and ran around the desk to fling themselves into his lap.
He picked them up and situated each of them on a knee as he kissed each of their heads softly.
"After New Years huh?" Jeremy asked and smiled slightly as he watched Tyler interact with his children.
"Yeah, I was thinking at least three weeks." Tyler answered and smiled as he reached over to turn off his computer.
"Wow, three weeks," Jeremy nodded and smirked a little, "Are you sure you can refrain from working for that long?"
"Oh, I know I can," Tyler huffed a laugh, but cut himself off as his phone rang again.
He looked at Jeremy, who quirked an eyebrow, then back at the phone again and sighed as he hit the speaker button. "Tyler Lockwood."
"I will pay for your plane ticket to and from and triple your normal pay if you fly to San Diego tonight and notarize the pre-nup first thing tomorrow morning."
Tyler's jaw dropped as he stared at the phone in disbelief, he had never had an offer like that before, this client wanted him there, bad.
As he stared open mouthed at the phone, he ran through the scenarios in his head as to what he could do with all that extra money. But the squirming on his knees brought him out of his musings and he looked down into the confused and slightly hopeful eyes of his children. He smiled at them and slid them off of his knees until they were standing in front of him.
"Sir, I appreciate the very generous offer, but it's Christmas Eve and I have a family to be with right now." Tyler stood and lifted his jacket from the back of his chair before sliding it over his arms and settling it on his shoulders.
"Triple, Lockwood, triple."
Tyler heard a sigh and looked up into Jeremy's sad eyes, "Just take it Tyler, go."
Tyler looked at Jeremy like he had grown a second head and shook his head, "I'm sorry, Sir. I don't think you heard me right. I am not coming to California tonight, or tomorrow, or anytime soon for that matter. I'm sure there are a number of lawyers in San Diego who will be willing to notarize a pre-nup for a marriage that is not going to last in to the New Year. Good luck and Merry Christmas." Tyler hit the end button and immediately put his phone on forward.
"Alright, who wants hot chocolate and Christmas cookies!?" Tyler clapped his hands together and smiled at his twins who cheered and jumped up and down clapping at the mention of their Christmas Eve tradition. The tradition had started with him and Jeremy the first Christmas they had spent together. They spent the afternoon of Christmas Eve drinking hot chocolate and making Christmas cookies and then the rest of the night snuggled up on the couch watching Christmas movies. The next day they went to Tyler's parents for Christmas dinner and presents before returning to their place for their own presents. The Christmas Eve tradition had stayed the same when they had the twins and now on Christmas Day, they spend the morning opening presents from each other and Santa. Then later in the afternoon, Tyler's mother along with Jeremy's sister and her family all come to their house for dinner and gift exchanging. It was tradition; you just don't mess with it.
"Did you just give up a client?" Jeremy asked from his spot in the chair with Kiley still in his lap, a dumbfounded look on his face.
Tyler chuckled softly and walked over to Jeremy, taking Kiley from his arms and blowing on her belly softly, "Yeah, Jere, I did, because I'm not going to let my job get in the way of time with my family anymore."
"But, you have never given up a client, Ty," Jeremy stood and laid his hand on Tyler's arm gently, "Do you know what you just did?"
Tyler smiled and grabbed Jeremy's waist with his free hand and pulled him to him, laying a kiss on Jeremy's lips he whispered, "Yeah, I just got my life back."
Jeremy pulled back a little to look at Tyler in confusion, "No more late nights, from now on I will be leaving the office at 4 and I will be home by 4:30. I'm going to help the twins with homework and help you cook dinner and crawl into bed with you every night and fall asleep with you in my arms. My life is not my job, you guys are."
Jeremy's eyes misted over a bit as he listened to Tyler talk and he smiled before throwing his arms around Tyler and pulling him forward to kiss him hard, "I love you, so much," he mumbled against Tyler's lips between kisses.
"I love you, too." Tyler smiled and kissed Jeremy once more before pulling away and grabbing his hand, "And I love my munchkins, now let's go make some cookies!"
The twins laughed and both grabbed at Jeremy, dragging him out of the office as Tyler followed behind with Kiley, laughing along the way.
"I have something to show you," Jeremy whispered against Tyler's lips later that night as they lay in bed holding each other.
"Oh, yeah?" Tyler asked and kissed Jeremy again, "Does it have anything to do with sex, 'cause I'm always up for something new," Tyler whispered seductively against Jeremy's throat.
"Ty, you are impossible," Jeremy groaned and pushed Tyler on to his back before climbing out of bed and making his way towards the small bookshelf lined with his sketch books, "No, it's not sex, but I hope you like it anyway."
Tyler sat up and rested his back against the headboard before reaching over to the bedside table to switch on the lamp there, "I always like the things you show me, Jere. Sex or not."
Jeremy rolled his eyes as he plucked a sketch pad from the shelf and flipped to the page he was looking for as he moved back to Tyler. He settled on Tyler's side of the bed, folding one leg under his body and letting the other one hang off the side as he faced his partner.
Without a word, Jeremy flipped the book and rested it in Tyler's lap and held his breath as he always did when he shows Tyler a new piece of work.
Tyler's breath caught in his chest as he picked up the book and gently ran his fingers along the pencil marks on the page. The drawing, or masterpiece as Tyler thought of it as, was of Tyler lying in bed propped up on his elbow and smiling down at Kiley as he tickled her lightly. The soft shading and hard lines captured Kiley's baby glow and bright toothless grin perfectly.
"This is what you were doing?" Tyler asked breathlessly as he continued to take in the picture before him.
"Yeah, I was going to just draw her, but then you rolled over and started playing with her and I just couldn't resist," Jeremy shrugged and rubbed at the back of his neck, "Is is okay?" he asked as his cheeks began to burn.
"Is it-" Tyler cut himself off and looked up at Jeremy finally, "Jere, it's perfect. I love it."
"Good," Jeremy smiled brightly and leaned in to kiss Tyler softly, "Merry Christmas."
"It's, for me?" Tyler asked and looked back down at the drawing and trailed his fingers over Kiley's face once more.
"I mean, yeah, if you want it," Jeremy said, "I was going to use it in the show, and I still might, but I want to hang it here somewhere, in our room, or Kiley's. I want her to have it when she's older so she can see what an amazing daddy she has."
Tyler's eyes filled with tears and he gently moved the book from his lap to the bedside table and pulled Jeremy into his arms and kissed him passionately, "I love you. God, I love you so much." Tyler said breathlessly and rolled Jeremy on to his back.
"I love you, too." Jeremy grinned up at Tyler and ran his hands up Tyler's back and under his sleep shirt making him shiver.
"What are you calling it?" Tyler asked softly as he began to trail kisses down Jeremy's neck.
"A Father's Love."
Tyler's breath caught again and he looked up into Jeremy's eyes and smiled, "Sounds perfect," he swooped in for another kiss as Jeremy grabbed at his shirt to pull it over his head. "Slow down," he chuckled as he removed his own shirt and bent down to kiss Jeremy's cheek, "We have three weeks and I'm going to make the most of it."
Jeremy sighed and relaxed into the bed beneath him before tensing up at the sound of Kiley crying over the baby monitor, "Maybe if we ignore it, it will go away," Jeremy whispered and Tyler chuckled.
"Oh now come on," Tyler said as he lifted himself from Jeremy's body and walked out of the room to get Kiley.
"Hush baby girl," Tyler's voice came across the monitor softly and Jeremy rolled over to look at it and smiled softly, "Daddy and Papa just need a little bit of alone time and then tomorrow it's all about you and your brother and sister, I promise."
Wish that promise, Kiley settled down and Jeremy heard Tyler whispered that he loved her and the sound of a soft kiss. Jeremy smiled and closed his eyes, Tyler was an amazing father and as soon as he got his butt back into bed, Jeremy was going to show him just how much he loved and appreciated him.
So, it's been a really long time since I have written anything besides a research or term paper so please be nice. Also, I was stuck on what to call this; I had originally started with 'Family First', but then thought about 'A Father's Love', but ended up sticking with the first one, let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! 3