She’d figured finding a date would be better. Then they could cast their disapproval on her and whoever she brought, instead of just focusing on her. Plus, as long as she brought a date they’d refrain from trying to hook her up with their friends’ sons for the evening. Last time she’d attended a gathering with them, there had been a mortifying moment when she’d realized her mom was trying to hook her up with a friend’s daughter. While she’d appreciated that her mom would have been supportive if she was gay, trying to explain that she wasn’t to the woman she’d just been paired up with without insulting her had been embarrassing.

Fortunately, the woman in question had been very understanding and they’d had a great night together being each other’s wingman.

“I still think that’s a terrible idea,” Andrew grumped. Sharon couldn’t help but smile at him. Ever since he and Kate had gotten back together she’d gotten to spend a lot of time with both of them, and Andrew had started acting like the protective big brother she’d never had. In return, she freaking adored him and did her best to get on his nerves as often as possible.

“What? You should know better than anyone that exes can still work out,” she teased.

“Not you two,” Andrew said immediately. “That man is a Daddy Dom, and no matter how bratty you are, you’re not a babygirl.”

“Too true,” she said with a sigh. That, in essence, had been exactly why she and Brian had broken up. Sharon liked to be a brat and she liked to be coddled, but when it came down to it, she and Brian just didn’t click on all the levels they needed to for them both to be satisfied. He would have always felt like there was something more that he needed, and she would have been unhappy if she’d tried to provide it.

Heck, she had tried and found that it wasn’t for her. Even calling him ‘Daddy’ had given her the willies. She had enough real Daddy issues, having another man acting as a ‘daddy’ hadn’t been sexy to her even though she’d wanted it to be. It had sounded great on paper, but just hadn’t worked for her.

Still, she liked Brian. He’d be a great date and he would be understanding about her parents. Even if they weren’t together, he would coddle her, and she could use that during family functions. But she was pretty sure he was interested in the submissive he’d been talking to last night, Rae, and if that was the case she didn’t want to mess that up for him.