“What’s going on?” I asked Grayson. I was on my last nerve. I looked at Parker. “Seriously, somebody needs to start talking and fast because I’m about to freak out.” She sat next to me and took my hand. I didn’t pull away because she obviously needed me, but I also didn’t want to get my ass kicked. I looked at Parker in alarm.

“It’s okay,” she said.

Grayson stood and leaned against the fireplace. His crossed arms told me it would be a while before he broke down. I was trying to ignore the feel of Parker’s warm hand in mine.

“Is everyone okay?” I asked.

“Physically fine,” Parker said. She slowly let go of my hand and stood next to Grayson. “We need your help and we don’t know what to do without catastrophic fallout.”

Well, that scared the living shit out of me. “Okay. Talk to me.” I leaned back on the couch as though I was a friend who casually stopped by even though I was sweating and my stomach kept contracting out of sheer nervousness.

“We’ve been living a lie,” Grayson said.

“Okay.” I nodded as though I understood completely but still had no idea what was happening. Parker must not have told him that she told me about their open marriage.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” he said.

I shrugged as though it wasn’t a big deal. “Start at the beginning. That’s always the easiest.”

He made a noise that was a combination of a laugh and a sob. “First of all, I love Parker and Violet and Rose. I don’t want anyone to doubt that.”

“Okay.”

“But I can’t go on like this,” he said.

“Like what?”

“The pressure is too much. I just can’t do it.”

“Do what? Be a husband? A father? A football player? Please narrow it down a bit.” I tried hard to keep the panic from bubbling up again. All those options were different kinds of catastrophes. Parker was calmly rubbing his back.

“We’ve decided to get a divorce,” Parker said.

I was floored. “Okay. What happened? Why now?”

“Back in college, I met someone,” Grayson said. “But I was with Parker and we had a dream of making it to the NFL and having the perfect family. I was on a path that was decided for me years ago.” He started pacing. “Now I don’t know what to do.”

“Do you want to get back with that person? Is that what this is about?” Who was this person? He nodded. I leaned back in relief before what he said really sunk in. “Wait. You want to divorce your wife to be with someone else?” I blew out a deep breath. So many feelings were swirling inside me. I looked at Parker. “How are you doing?”