“They aren’t perfect, but they have tried to give me the best life possible.” Parker shot back. It was a weak retort, but we didn’t comment.

“Let’s get back on track. What do you need me to do? I’ll do whatever I can to keep this between us. The team doesn’t have to know. The fewer people who know, the better.”

Grayson stood in front of me and put his hands on my shoulders. The weight of his hands was uncomfortable. “Sutton, I don’t think you’re getting it. I’m gay.”

I stood in front of him and gaped for a solid ten seconds. “What?”

“You met my boyfriend on Halloween.”

“Uncle Matt?” I barely got those words out. My teenage years came rushing back and flooded my mind with horrible memories. Grayson stealing my girlfriend only to end up leaving her years later. “Who knows? Do the girls know?”

“No, but they are starting to figure out that something is going on. Nobody knows for sure but us and Matt’s parents. My parents don’t know.”

“Where is Uncle Matt now?”

For the first time all night, Grayson smiled. “It’s just Matt. The girls call him Uncle Matt because they’ve known him since they were little, but you can call him Matt.”

“What does he think about all this?”

“It was too hard to be apart, so Matt moved up here and we decided it was time to move forward with our relationship.”

I wanted to explode. Grayson and Matt had made a decision for Parker and they hadn’t even consulted her. She sacrificed everything for their relationship. No wonder she was heavily involved in her daughters’ lives. While he gambled with their privacy, Parker had to play the docile wife who followed him wherever the NFL sent him.

“What do you think about what I’ve said? Do you think you can keep your relationship with Matt quiet for two more months?”

“It’ll be hard but if you think that’s for the best, then I will. I know he’d like to know what’s going on. Do you mind if I invite him over?” Grayson asked Parker.

“Of course not. Sutton’s car is already in the driveway. The neighbors will just think we have company over.”

Grayson texted Matt while Parker excused herself to check on the girls. I sat on the couch. I was stunned. It had only been a week since Parker told me about their open marriage. I was still processing that. I realized then that their marriage wasn’t really open. From what I understood, an open marriage meant the marriage was still alive. Parker was just Grayson’s beard.