"Dinners ready!" My mom yelled from the kitchen, breaking the conversations in the living room. Knox and my two brothers were busy talking about what, no clue. While Olivia and I were playing barbies with the girls.

Every few minutes I found myself glancing at Knox. The grin tugging at the corners of his mouth making me wonder what they were talking about. The three of them were clearly hitting it off.

Sophie and Charlotte tugged Olivia into the kitchen, followed by my brothers which left Knox and I alone in the living for a moment.

"You seem to be getting along with my brothers quite well." I remarked.

"Yeah, they are nice guys. Well aside from Jackson hitting on me a few times."

"Oh god." I brought a hand to my forehead. "I should have warned you he is a chronic flirt."

"I didn't know he was bi." Knox sent me a curious look.

"He came out a few years ago that he was." I kept my eyes on his face, bracing myself to defend my brother. Just because he liked both men and women didn't mean he was any different. I've defended my brother against people saying horrible things, and I would gladly kick Knox out on his ass if he so much as said anything bad towards my brother.

"Doesn't bother me." Knox's words settled the protectiveness inside of me. Because if he had a problem with my brother then I'd send his ass packing. "Just took me by surprise. You never said anything."

"Wasn't my news to share." I shrugged. And it wasn't. It was Jackson's decision to tell people or not. Not mine. "I hope he isn't making you uncomfortable though."

"Not at all." Knox shook his head. "It's a confidence booster." He smirked to which I rolled my eyes.

"Watch out, your shirt may not fit over your head soon." Before he could respond another voice spoke.

"Hey lovebirds, lets eat." Olivia smirked at the two of us. She purposely said it loudly before winking and turning back to the dining room.

"She will be the death of me." Knox muttered. Chuckling I patted his arm.

"She learned from the best." With a smirk of my own I made my way to the dining room. I heard Knox huff behind me before following after me.

The moment I stepped foot in the dining room I felt like I was finally home. The long table was filled with multiple pans of lasagne, tons of garlic bread, and a salad. Everyone was scattered around the table, reaching for food and talking loudly. There was only one thing missing but I pushed that thought away.

There were two empty chairs across from my mom and Jackson for Knox and I, Olivia next to Knox. When Knox pulled my chair out for me I held back my surprise. He was a gentlemen after all. As soon as he was seated I reached for the pan of lasagna in front of me.

I silently thanked my mom for making three pans. My brothers alone could eat a full one themselves. And with how hungry I was right now I could eat half myself. After scooping a large portion on my plate I moved it towards Knox, then grabbed some bread.

Down the table my nieces were musingly eating their lasagne as Annie and Lucas watched over them. I grinned at the sight. I hadn't realized how much I missed those two little girls. Missed sitting around the table with my family.

"So Knox, Aubrey tells me you two met at your hardware store." My mom eventually spoke.

"Yeah she needed a new valve for her sink. She was wandering aimlessly around until she bumped into me. I showed her what she needed and offered to fix it for her and the rest is history." Knox expertly lied, bringing his hand off the table and resting it on my jean clad knee. Even through my jeans I could feel the heat from his hand, sending a zing through me.

The blush that appeared on my cheeks wasn't fake either. My mom glanced between us with a soft smile.

"Maybe Aubrey won't be the crazy cat lady after all." Lucas remarked.

"More like crazy dog lady. She'll have like 30 dogs and never leave her house." Jackson butted in. "She'll be that lady every kid is scared of seeing or going up to her house." He laughed, Lucas joining in.

"Ha Ha Ha." I commented dryly.

"Oh come on Bre, you haven't dated anyone seriously since high school." Lucas said.

"And?"

"We don't want you to become a crazy dog lady."

"I do." Jackson quipped. I rolled my eyes at my two brothers. We've had this exact same conversation every year since I turned 23. As if me getting older will hinder me finding a man. There were parts of my relationships my brothers didn't know or understand, and I wasn't keen on telling anyone. Leah doesn't even know some of it either.

Thankfully Annie came to my rescue and brought their attention to something else. I sighed turning away from their conversation and took a bite of my food. This was one of the reasons I wanted a 'boyfriend' this Christmas. To get them off my back.

"Crazy dog lady?" Knox whispered in my ear. A shiver went down my spine at his warm breath hit my ear.

"They've been calling me that for years. I guess in hopes for me to bring someone home." I whispered back, trying to act like the feel of his hand still on my knee and his cheek grazing mine didn't affect me at all.

"And why haven't you?" I turned my head to the side slightly to look at him and shrugged.

"Haven't ever wanted to." I looked away and stuffed my mouth hoping not to answer anymore.

The two of us were quiet as everyone talked. My mom, Annie and Olivia talking about school stuff. Lucas and Jackson talking about god knows what down at the table. My two nieces still eating messily.

"So Knox." Jackson suddenly spoke up from down the table. "You served in the Marines?" Beside me I felt Knox tense and sit up a bit straighter, setting his napkin back in his lap.

"Yes I did."

"What did you do there? Were you stationed across sea?" At his questions I could physically feel a wall coming down around Knox. Clearly a touchy subject for him. I shot Jackson a look down the table but he didn't even look at me.

"Sergeant of a Ground Task Force. Stationed in Afghanistan." Knox rattled off, his tone shifting showing that he was indeed someone of high rank. A quick glance at Olivia I found her staring at her plate, moving her food around.

Jackson seemed slightly thrown by the tone as he nodded.

"That's uh...thanks for your service." I wanted to smack Jackson for bringing it up. It's not like talking about the weather! Knowing we needed a change of subject I quickly jumped in.

"Olivia came up with an idea, so tomorrow we are going to be making gingerbread houses." Sophie and Charlotte cheered but I wasn't quite sure they knew why. But it was enough to break the tension.

I reached down and grabbed Knox's hand, giving it a tight squeeze. The action surprising both of us but a moment later he squeezed mine back, while my mom started talking about baking the gingerbread.

The two of us not saying a word but gripping hands.

Grabbing mine, Olivia's and Aubrey's plate, I ducked through the doorway to the kitchen. Aubrey's mom, Colleen, was in the kitchen grabbing what looked like pie.

"Hope you enjoyed dinner Knox." She politely said, sending me a smile. Colleen reminded me so much of my mom. Always happy, welcoming people in with open arms, always happy to be cooking. It was a bit unnerving how similar they are.

"It was amazing, Mrs. Lynn."

"What have I told you about calling me Mrs. Lynn?" She shot me a look which made the corners of my lip turn up.

"Sorry...Colleen." She nodded in approval.

"I'm sorry about my children. I did teach them manners but they seem to have gone out the window."

"It's okay, I don't mind." I waved her off.

"If they ever annoy you or your sister feel free to smack them. You have my permission." I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face at her words. Aubrey mom sure was something else.

'I'll keep that in mind." I handed her the plates in my hands which she put in the sink.

"I wanted to thank you Knox." Colleen suddenly spoke.

"For what?"

"For bringing my little girl home." When she looked up at me I saw tears filling her eyes. "It's been almost a year since she's been home and this past year has very...hard for all of us. So thank you for making her happy and for bringing her back."

I didn't know what to say to that. I wasn't really dating her daughter yet she's thanking me for something I didn't even do. Colleen seemed like such a kind and caring mother that I couldn't fathom why Aubrey was doing this. Bringing me here to be her boyfriend.

All I could do was smile at Aubrey's mom, before moving around the counter and grabbing the pie from her hands. Sending me a grateful smile I followed her out of the kitchen. Silently wondering why on earth Aubrey was doing what she was doing.