Chapter 2 Sunny disposition
Dex
I'm walking on sunshine, I'm on cloud nine, I'm... whatever happy people say when they're happy.
I grew up dirt poor in Queens, with abusive parents who gave more shits about getting their next fix than me.
I was in and out of foster care, but they always managed to place me back with one or both of my parents during their reformed stints.
The longest was a year without one of them relapsing.
And since they were soooo in love, the other would soon follow.
The only person who gave a shit was Mr. Grey, the neighbour next door.
He fed me with sandwiches when I hadn't had any food for the entire day.
I suspect he would have done more, but he was a pretty hopeless cook and relied on sandwiches as well, since his wife died.
Despite being a blue-collar worker, he always read The Times on Sundays and helped me discover I really enjoyed reading the finance section.
He was my escape on lazy Sunday mornings, reading the paper and playing chess, while my parents recovered from their latest bender.
He died when I was sixteen of a stroke and took the quiet with him, leaving only darkness and rage within me.
I was lucky to have as long as I did with him, if I’m honest. After my parents passed from their respective overdoses when I was eleven, the social workers tried to keep me in the neighbourhood.
Although Mr. Grey did apply to care for me, he was too old and was only renting his small two-bedroom apartment in Queens, so they wouldn’t let him be my guardian.
A lifetime of working as a handyman barely gave him any savings.
He could have left the city and gone somewhere cheaper when he retired, but he said he couldn’t leave since there were so many memories here of his late wife.
I liked to think that staying with me might have had something to do with it as well.
I had a couple of foster homes that were not the greatest, so I knew I could always go to his house and have a quiet place to study and a warm ham and cheese sandwich when my stomach was growling.
Putting the memories back into their box where I keep them locked up firmly, I take another moment to appreciate my outfit while looking in the shopfront’s reflective glass that I'm passing. My sixteen-year-old self never would have imagined I could afford this type of outfit in this lifetime.
Plus, it really helps to justify the expense when the big silver fox in front of the coffee shop is eyeing me like a piece of candy.
Don't worry buddy, I'd definitely let you lick the lollipop.
As I step into the coffee shop, I'm wondering if I could squeeze in a quick handjob in the staff room on the side.
But then, I didn't wake up at fucking 5am to be late to this meeting, even if it's not necessary.
I push the desire down and subtly press on my chubbing dick.
God, it's been way too long if I'm getting a semi from a hot guy's hungry stare, even if he looks about thirty years older.
I generally don't discriminate as long as the guy's bigger than me and has a pretty cock.
Not like I'll see them again after it. I'm not into twinks since I like it a bit on the rough side and they wouldn't easily overpower me, plus they can be clingy after the hook-up.
I know I'm stereotyping, but I've been burned a couple of times.
I'm walking into the office with my head held high, while the people I work with take a second to look horrified at the wide smile on my face.
Being known as the asshole grump around the office is not normally a description I shy away from.
I like my space and my privacy, if they perceive it as being cold or aloof, it's not on me.
I assume I could put in more effort, especially now that I will be moving into a management position.
Well, starting today, because it was definitely an asshole move to log into the HR portal last night with my boss’s credentials to see if I got the promotion.
But I couldn't walk into that meeting not knowing.
As confident as I am, I draw the line at surprises.
Being prepared with a nice smile in the face of rejection would have taken all afternoon to nail in front of the mirror, and I like nothing more than being prepared.
I turn into the hallway and approach the secretary desk outside my boss's office, the mighty Richard O'Connor.
I joke, but he's actually a great mentor and the best I could have hoped for when starting at this finance firm.
I would have never progressed as fast as I did without him taking me under his wing and I will forever appreciate him giving the snarky, gloomy intern the time of day to listen to how he would passionately talk about fiscal reports.
Macy, the executive assistant, is a cute little pixie thing with blue eyes, red lips and an ample cleavage.
Which does absolutely nothing for me. Give me hard pecs and thick trunk thighs and I'll be drooling over them in a heartbeat.
Although she looks angelic, Macy has a bit of a snarky side herself, which is why she's the only person in the office I'm remotely close to.
Unlike me, however, she knows how to play the room with innocent looks and soft giggles and is widely liked by the whole floor.
She glances up as I come to stand in front of the desk and her eyes widen like saucers when she catches the grin that splits my face in half.
"What a beautiful day we're having, isn't it, my dear Macy?" I sing-song to her to break the silence.
"Am I being pranked?" She looks left and right with a serious look on her face.
"Why would you think that?" I ask, knowing full well why she thinks that.
"Oh," she narrows her eyes. "You know what you're walking into, don't you? You evil bastard".
"Don't know what you're talking about." I move past her to knock on Richard's door.
"Ahem, sure. And hell just froze over." She sighs dramatically.
Nothing can bring me down though and, as Richard tells me to come in, I keep the smile plastered on my face while I compliment him on his chosen tie. Who said I can't ace small talk?
The conversation is brief, Richard telling me what I already know and congratulating me on my new position.
We confirm the official start date in a month's time and arrange for a lunch meet next week to discuss team members.
I'm officially dismissed when Richard raises to shake my hand and gives me a brief pat on the shoulder.
I know we're not really the "feely men" type, but I appreciate the warmth with which he sees me out and think again about how I hit the boss jackpot.
Macy narrows her eyes at me again when the door closes. "Well, I'm sure that was quite a surprise for you. Congratulations on your new position."
"Thanks, Macy! You know I love surprises, especially the good ones." I wink at her before moving in front of her desk again.
"Since you're in such a good mood, I have decided you are taking me out to dinner. Somewhere expensive!" She says while cracking a mischievous smile.
"Leeching onto management already, are you? Are you going to beg to be transferred to my team now, too?" I ask with my usual snark, but she can tell I'm joking when she laughs wholeheartedly.
"As if I would ever want to spend more time with you, grump!" She rolls her eyes while still smiling. "I wanted to talk to you about this speed-dating thing my cousin went to last month and now swears she found her soulmate. It could be good for you!"
I groan loudly, "Gay, remember?"
"Yep, they do a het night on Wednesdays and queer night on Thursdays. Don't worry your pretty little head, I have it covered."
"Macy, I can't do a relationship right now. I'm not even on apps anymore since they're all clingers who refuse to leave my bed once we're done. Apart from club hook-ups, I'm basically celibate."
"Well, I want you to try this. As creepy as it is seeing you smile, you need some more of that in your life and I can't wait another five years for your next promotion to see it again."
"Bet I can make it in two." I say with another grin.
"Please, Dex? Just this once and I'll stop bugging." She flutters her full eyelashes at me with that innocent look she uses for everything.
"Fine, only if you shut up about it." I say to appease my only friend.
"YAY! Great! Awesome!" She says while jumping up from her desk and sliding a thin arm around my waist. "You won't regret this! There's one happening tomorrow, will you go?"
"I'm already regretting this, and no, not tomorrow. I only have a month to transition from this role to the new one and set up for my team and my new clients. I promise to go after the new team is settled." There, hopefully this should buy me enough time for her to forget all about this crazy idea.
"Ok," she says in a disappointed tone. "I'll give you five weeks, but only that. And I'm putting it in my calendar so I won't forget."
Fuck, she's persistent. Why do I need friends again? Oh right, so I'm not one hundred percent an anti-social prickly porcupine. One of the many "fun" nicknames Macy has graced me with over the years.
"Fine, you got a deal, pixie-devil. Now, how about you get some actual work done today?
" I shout back as I'm walking away from her desk.
I hear a muttered "rude bastard" and burst into laughter as I turn the corner into the bullpen, shocking all of my colleagues with my sunny disposition for a second time this morning.
Life is good for Dexter Hayes!