Speak To Me: The Easton Brothers

Chapter 3-Grant

(Grant)

I didn't think things could get any worse than they already were after this morning, but boy was I wrong.

After getting Sammy ready and making our way towards the doctors office, I finally began to relax.

Ever since Grayson moved in with Sammy and me, we had to stop the house calls with Sammy's doctor, Stephanie Stephens. She was the type of woman who liked to ask a lot of questions, and I knew if she saw Grayson there, she would ask plenty.

Besides, I've noticed Gabriella has become really fond of the woman and has even gone to lunch with her once or twice. Which, in turn, brings Katrina into the equation. Grayson isn't ready to reveal him being here yet, and I'm just trying not to get involved. So it's best to keep Stephanie away from all of that.

She still thinks Sammy is my biological son, and I plan on keeping it that way. As long as she just does her job without trying to stick her nose where it doesn't belong, we should be good.

I glanced down at my phone, going through a couple of emails as Sammy peered out of the window excitedly. My driver clay had Christmas music playing throughout the car, and I was trying not to be a grinch.

I swear if I heard jingle bells one more time, though, I might f*****g snap.

Pulling up to a light, Sammy let out a small gasp before bouncing up and down.

"Look! They even have Christmas lights on the buildings dad! How do they get them up there?" He asked, making me glance out of the window when my eyes suddenly widened.

Wait, is that...

"Look, dad! It's Miss Stephanie!" Sammy must've seen her the same time I did, making me swallow hard as I looked towards the small woman standing on the side of the street.

Stephanie Stephens was what I would classify as pure f*****g temptation. Her pouty lips, supple curves, and big brown doe eyes were enough to make every man that passed by her turn their heads and stare. Yet, she was completely unaware.

Witnessing that happen right before my very eyes made something deep inside of me stir to life. A feeling that I wanted abso-f*****g-lutely nothing to do with.

"Dad, why is Miss Stephanie standing on the side of the road?" Sammy asked, making me blink my eyes and realize she was now looking in the car.

"It seems like she is waiting for the bus." I mumbled, wondering why the f**k she was even taking a bus to begin with. Why did that not sit right with me?

Pushing those unwanted thoughts away, I focused my attention back onto Sammy just as he started to speak again.

"Well, maybe we can give her a ride!" The kid blurted, loud enough for not only my driver Clay to hear, but Stephanie herself as well.

I glanced up into the rearview mirror, seeing humor filling Clay's green eyes as he raised an eyebrow, seeming to ask me what I was going to do.

"Please dad! Pleaaaase." Sammy began begging, making me blink at him rapidly before glancing back out towards Stephanie.

She looked just as awkward as I felt. But why? Would she rather ride the f*****g bus than get in the car with us?

"Oh no, that's okay Sammy-"

"Get in, we will drive you." I blurted, realizing she was about to turn Sammy's generous offer down.

That's when the light in front of us turned green.

"I don't want to impose, besides, I see the bus coming now." She rushed, glancing behind us as Clay kept the car stopped, making someone behind us start honking.

"Stephanie, get in the car." I ordered darkly, feeling annoyed by the fact that she was being stubborn.

"You're holding up traffic! Just go!" She rushed, making those light brown cheeks turn a shade of pink that had my jaw clenching.

"We aren't moving until you get into the car." I stated adamantly. This not even being about Sammy anymore. It was the fact that I offered, and she had the audacity to turn me down. It's not like I was the one who wanted to pick her up, for f***s sake.

"Hey! Move the damn car! The lights green jackass!" Some asshole from behind us yelled, making Stephanie jump before gripping her bag tighter and stepping forward.

"Fine! If it will get you to stop making a scene." She rushed, stepping towards the car as I watched her reach for the front passenger door before sliding in quickly.

"Seatbelt." I ordered, making her let out a huff of air as I felt humor rising up inside of me.

Was she annoyed with me right now?

The moment Stephanie's seatbelt clicked, Clay pulled the car forward, making Stephanie slump down in the black leather seat.

That's when the car filled with silence. The only sound was the Christmas music playing softly over the speakers as I studied Stephanie's profile carefully.

She looked like she was pissed. Interesting.

I felt my gaze wander down, settling on those full lips that were now set in a frown.

"Is that a present?" Sammy suddenly blurted, breaking that silence.

"Um, yeah, it is. I brought it for you." Stephanie replied sheepishly.

I felt my brow furrow as I let my gaze travel down, seeing a blue wrapped box sitting in her lap.

"For me? Really?!" Sammy rushed, making that frown Stephanie was just wearing completely disappear as a warm smile now replaced it.

The way her eyes lit up made my back straighten before I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. God, why was she so happy all of a sudden?

"Is it okay if he opens it now?" She asked, making me realize she was talking to me.

"Um, yeah, sure." I mumbled, feeling like I was in an even worse mood now that this woman was in here.

"Here you go. I hope you like it." She said, turning in her seat slightly as I tried to act uninterested. I was curious, though. What did she get for Sammy? It's probably something lame like gloves or a stuffed animal.

Sammy eagerly took the box that Stephanie handed him. His eyes sparkled with excitement making it was hard not to feel it too. What can I say? His happiness was infectious, okay?

Sammy gently tore into the paper. His small hands worked carefully not to rip it as he peeled one piece of tape off at a time. Seeing how gentle he was with it made my heart begin to ache. You could just see how grateful he was already, and I knew that was because he didn't receive many gifts in his life.

Glancing up for a moment, I locked onto Stephanie's face, seeing she was just as enraptured as I was when Sammy suddenly let out a gasp.

"What is it?" I blurted, unable to stop myself as he reached into the box, pulling out something.

Looking closer, I soon realized it was a snow globe. Inside the glass ball was a forest with a small village and a train going around it.

Yep, knew it. What kid would want a snow globe?

"It's just like the one Nanny Marta had." Sammy suddenly whispered. Holding the glass globe like it was the most fragile thing in the world.

Nanny Marta? The name sounded familiar as I quickly went back to the information I had learned about Sammy. I looked up any and everything there was to know about Sammy and the previous life he lived in England with Eva and her now ex husband.

They did employ a few Nanny's. One was named Martina. That must be who he is speaking about.

"I know it isn't a very fun present. But I thought you could put it in your room." Stephanie began to explain nervously, looking towards me now.

"I love it! It's perfect!" Sammy gushed, giving Stephanie the biggest brightest smile ever as she couldn't help but return it.

Okay, it was kind of cute.

I meant Sammy was cute, not her. Of course I wouldn't think she was cute.

"You do?" Stephanie asked eagerly, making Sammy nod excitedly as Stephanie clapped her hands together happily.

"It plays music too! Just twist the bottom." She explained, making Sammy turn the globe upside down before twisting it.

"Wrong way buddy, want me to help?" I asked, watching him unscrew it as he quickly nodded before offering the snow globe to me.

I took the snow globe, feeling the weight of it in my hands as I let my fingers find the metal wind dial and began to twist.

That's when a soft melody began to play, making my stomach drop the moment I heard it.

Of course it had to be jingle bells... Seriously!?