Spending a holiday with someone else besides your own family was an experience. Spending it with the Grays was unique. Eight people in one house made for an interesting dynamic. Throw in additional family members. It was pure chaos.

All of us were doing our own thing while Pat and Nate were cooking dinner. Well, by doing something, the boys were watching the Lions lose again, then sure, but, whatever. I wasn't a sport's fan, so I curled up in a chair and read a book while the boys would yell every time a play got called or miscalled.

Then the doorbell rang.

"Will someone get the door?" Nate asked.

The boys were so into the game that they ignored it. I didn't feel comfortable enough to answer it either. Whoever was on the other side of the door got a little impatient and laid on the doorbell.

"My family can't be bothered. Here, let me get it." Nate walked by and answered the door.

"Well, it's about damn time you answered the door, big brother," a male voice said.

"Jonas! What are you doing here?"

That made the boys stop and get up. They walked over to find their Uncle Jonas standing there with two guys.

"Hey, Uncle Jonas," Nash said, hugging him.

"Hey, Nash, Nixon, double troubles, and little man," he said, greeting all of them.

"You gonna let us in, or are you gonna let us freeze to death." He smirked.

"Come on in, everyone. Where's Karen at?"

"At her parents. She didn't want to make the trip. So, I brought Jace and Jamie with me. Go mingle, boys, while I catch up with my big brother."

"Whatever," Jaime grumbled.

I sat there as two guys walked in with the brothers. They looked similar in features, and I'm guessing they're cousins since the guy named Jonas called Nate his big brother.

"Who's playing?" One guy asked Nash while looking at the TV.

"Lions and Packers." Nash took a seat on the couch.

"Packers suck ass. I hope we kick their ass." The guy rubbed his hands together.

"Who's the chick?" Another guy asked Nixon.

"That's Maggie. She lives with us and is Nash's girl, so don't even think about it, Jaime," he said.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure, you don't. You and I both know if you make a move on Maggie, Nash won't hesitate to put you in the ground."

"So, uh, you ever, you know, try?"

He gave him a look. "No."

"Well, damn. I would have hit it."

"Uh, Jaime, one more comment from your mouth about Mags, and I'll knock out your teeth," Nash said, glancing at him while the other guy chuckled.

"Psh, whatever," he said, turning and going into the kitchen.

"You know, I was all for being an only child until my parents felt I needed a playmate," Jace said.

"Tell me about it," Nash said with an eye roll.

I got up and went into the kitchen to get something to drink. Jonas was helping Nate and Pat with dinner while Jamie stood with his back against the counter. I didn't know the Gray family well other than the boys and Nate and Pat. I knew their cousins used to come over from time to time, but I never knew them.

I walked over to the cupboard. "Excuse me," I said to Jamie.

He shifted out of the way so I could get a glass. "You're that neighbor girl that used to follow Nash and Nixon around like a puppy dog, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?"

"I didn't stutter, did I?"

"For your information, I didn't follow them around like a puppy dog. I lived next door, and Nixon and I are around the same age."

"Only because my aunt and uncle used to make them play with you." He scoffed.

"Jamie!" Jonas said.

"What? It's the truth!" He looked at me. "You know my cousins tolerate you. I know Nixon can't stand you, and well, Nash, he likes to take pity on people."

"Jamie, that's enough," Nate said. "Maggie is living with us, and you won't talk to her that way."

"Come on, Uncle Nate! She's not even family but some girl who wormed her way into this family."

"Excuse me. I think I lost my appetite," I whispered, leaving the kitchen and walking past the boys.

"Mags?"

I didn't bother looking at Nash or any of them. That confirmed what I felt for months. I went up to my room, closed the door, and locked it.

Nash went upstairs and tried the handle but found it locked. He knocked on the door. "Mags?"

I didn't respond. Pat and Nate came up shortly afterward.

"What's going on?" he asked them.

"Jamie took it upon himself to belittle Maggie," Pat said.

"Great." He sighed. "What did he say to Mags?"

"That Nixon hates her, and you pity her," Nate said.

"That asswipe has always been jealous of us," he said.

"Nash! Language! He might be an asswipe, but he's still a family," Pat said.

"Well, if we can't get her to come out, then we may have a funeral after dinner," Nash said.

"What? Why?" Nate asked him.

"Because I'll kill him."

While Nate, Pat, and Nash tried to get me to come out, the rest were going rounds with Jamie, namely Nixon.

"Why would you say that?" Nixon asked him.

"It's the truth. Don't stand here and deny you used to tell me how much you couldn't stand the neighbor girl," Jamie told him.

"Yeah, I can't stand her, not that I hated her. What boy likes girls hanging around when they're kids?"

"I do," Nolan said, and they all looked at him. "What? I do."

"You even said it yourself that Nash felt sorry for her."

"No, I didn't. I said Nash didn't want to be mean to Maggie. Do you make it a habit of taking everything we say out of context?" Nixon asked him.

"Come on, man. She isn't even family."

"Jamie, no one says you have to be blood to be a family," Jace told him.

"It's not right."

"Why because we like her?" Nathan asked him.

"Come on, Nathan. You know what I mean."

"No, we don't. Jamie, ever since you got here, you've had a chip on your shoulder. Now Maggie is locked away in her room so that you can feel better about yourself," Nathan said.

"Whatever," Jaime replied.

"That's always your response. Man, grow up," Noah said.

"Where is he?" They all heard a loud voice asked.

"Ah, Nash is pissed. You better run, little brother," Jace told Jaime.

"I'm not afraid of big bad Nash."

"No, dude, you better run," Nathan said.

"What's he going to do?" Before anyone answered, Nash's fist came flying, and Jamie was lying on the ground out cold.

"That," Nolan said.

"Told him that he should've run," Jace said.

I sat on my bed, staring at the wall. I didn't want to talk to anyone. Then I heard a soft knock at the door. "Maggie. It's Kat, Hunny."

"Go away, Kat."

"Please, open the door and talk to me. I promise it's only me."

"Only you?"

"It's only me."

I got up and answered the door, and she waved to someone. She walked in, and I closed the door.

"Want to talk?"

"What? Did Nixon call you?"

"Nash did after Nixon told him to, and right after he punched his cousin out."

"What?"

"Nash isn't too happy with his cousin at the moment. Come on. Let's talk." She guided me to the bed. We talked for a while, and I explained everything. She also gave me some good advice. That's what I love about Kat. She always knew how to make me feel better. She was the one person I could turn to no matter what.

"Maggie," I heard a voice from behind the door.

"Yes?"

"You have a distraught boyfriend that is planning his cousin's funeral if you don't come out," the voice said. Okay, that wasn't Nate or the boys. Who the heck was it?

I got up and walked over to the door. I opened it to find Jonas standing there. "Hi." He smiled at me.

"You're Nate's brother."

"The one and only. I'm the middle one and the fun one."

"Hey! I'm fun!" Nate said.

"In your dreams, old man!"

"I may be old, but I can still kick your ass, you red-headed stepchild!"

"Yeah, whatever!"

I couldn't help but giggle. Nate and Jonas were brothers, all right.

"See! I got her to smile! So bite me, you tool!" Jonas said while looking down the hallway.

"Nah, I bite nothing that ugly!"

"Excuse me while I beat my brother's ass." Jonas walked away.

I stuck my head out of the doorway to see the two of them going at it. Then before I knew it, someone picked me up and tossed me over their shoulder.

"Nash!" I squealed.

He walked to his room, shut the door, and set me down. Before I could say anything, he kissed me. "Sorry, I wanted to do that."

I looked at him.

"My cousin is wrong and jealous. I never took pity on you. I love you. I always have."

I kept looking at him.

"Say something."

"Did you punch him out?"

"Well, yeah."

I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. "I love you, too."

"Good."

"But no funerals until after the holiday."

"Deal." He took my hand and led me out of his room.

After that, dinner went well. Jamie nursed a black eye, and everyone got along. Nixon and I also came to an understanding for once. It turned out to be a nice family meal.