“Are they going to be mean to Jake?” Maria asked after a minute when it was obvious everyone was struggling to try and figure out what to say. Because what should a person say about it? This was why Sharon hated talking about her parents. It was always awkward for everyone.

“Probably at least a little,” Sharon admitted. A little smile turned up the corners of her lips. “Especially once they find out that he’s working in a blue-collar job.”

“That’s going to matter to them?” Hilary asked, wrinkling her nose a little.

“Everything matters to them.”

Especially at a wedding when everyone was going to be showing off their kids. On the other hand, she knew her parents… They would make the best of the situation in public. Maybe she should warn Jake.

Might be more fun not to though.

Sitting around the kitchen table with one glowering friend and one friend grinning like a loon was not comfortable.

Apparently, Andrew was acting as Sharon’s big brother – only he was way more protective and not as supportive as Jake had been about one of his friends dating his little sister. Then again… He wasn’t exactly dating Sharon was he?

“So. Fuck buddies.” Andrew glared at him and Jake held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“What makes you think that?” he asked. Might as well play dumb. Andrew hadn’t been listening at the door or something had he?

“The fact that there’s an interrogation happening at my house right now and that’s what Sharon said.” If anything, Andrew’s dark gaze grew harder. He didn’t look amused at all.

Well… shit.

Fine. Time to shift gears. “Why is it any of your business?”

“Because she needs someone to look out for her.”

Jake couldn’t help it – he snorted. He honestly couldn’t think of anyone less in need of someone to look out for them. Sharon was not just eminently capable, but she was deliberately independent. “She can take care of herself.”

“But she shouldn’t have to,” Andrew countered, leaning back against his chair and ignoring the beer he’d been given. “She does it because she’s used to doing it, and because she doesn’t trust anyone else to be there to do it for her.”

That was an interesting take on things, and one that made Jake take a mental step back so he could consider it. He had noticed that Sharon took care of her friends a lot of the time, but she didn’t seem to need the same in return. It hadn’t occurred to him to think about why that was true. Some people were just more self-sufficient than others.

He still had trouble seeing Sharon as someone who needed someone looking out for her though. She seemed the type to fight against that.