CAMI SITS DOWN WITH a cup of hot tea in front of her. I have a cold beer in front of me.

She doesn't waste time, and looks me straight in the eyes as she starts talking. "What embarrasses me most about that night is that I was warned, and I still walked up those stairs with you. For a long time, I looked back and kicked myself again and again. Then I realized that Joel came out of the deal. I needed to tell you that. It was stupid on my part, but I got Joel, so I refuse to take anything back."

I've thought about that night repeatedly, too. We were at my house and I grilled steaks. I refilled her wine glass one too many times. I wanted in her pants and I thought only with my dick. It was one night of many that I had with women. Kept having until a few months ago. No excuses. I'm a shitbag.

I can't say all this, though. "I hear what you're saying and I know I've apologized before, Cami, and I know it's not enough. I have no excuse." I give her a side grin. "Well, you're hot. It doesn't matter how gorgeous you are, that shit's on me. You've made my brother the happiest man alive, and I'll owe you forever for doing it."

"You think my wife is hot?"

My head jerks to my brother, who is standing just inside the dining room. I tip my beer in his direction. "The hottest sister-in-law in the universe," I say.

"Good save, bro." Joel walks over and grabs a beer from the fridge. "This a private conversation, or can I sit in?" he questions his wife, not me.

Knowing their relationship, Cami has already talked it through with him. Joel isn't angry.

Cami smiles at him. "You should join us. We're clearing the air. Or, I guess we just cleared it."

Joel takes the chair next to Cami and slides it closer to hers, so he can curl his arm around her shoulder. Now they both face me directly.

I look back and forth between them. "Is this a conversation we can agree to never have again?" I ask.

"Most likely," Joel says before taking a pull from his beer.

"I'll apologize to you, too, bro. I'm a womanizing asshole who, just days ago, was handed said asshole on a platter. I deserved it and it doesn't taste good. That has nothing to do with us, though." I tip my beer toward both of them. "I've been jealous as hell over what you and Cami have built. Hell, I'm still jealous, but I can live with it." It's true. What happened with Danny has made me take another look at my life and what I want. It's sitting across the table from me. Not Cami, but what she and my brother have become. Fuck. I look down at my beer, and wonder if I can repair things with Danny and possibly have a chance at building something more.

Joel pushes his chair back. "Hey, guy," he says as he lays his hand on my shoulder. "I accepted your apology a long time ago. Cami needed closure, and it would help if you got your shit together and found that special lady who's out there for you."

I look up. The scar on my brother's face runs from his cheek to the corner of his lip, and it's prominent. He was driving my mom when a car came out of nowhere and hit them. Mom died, and Joel was left with the reminder for the rest of his life. He's the strongest person I know. I glance over at Cami and see forgiveness in her eyes. I watch the change come over those same eyes as something seems to occur to her.

"Danny," is all she says.

My brother takes a step back, and gives me a look that isn't as forgiving as it was a moment ago. "You fucked around with Danny?"

I run my fingers through my still-shaggy hair and down the rest of my beer before looking up again. "Danny kinda fucked me over by doing what I do to far too many women. Now, she wants to be friends."

I glance at Cami and she's biting her lip. It's fucking hysterical, but the last thing I'll ever do is laugh.

She releases her lip. "Umm, I'm not sure what to say."

"What is there to say? I run into the women I've fucked all the time." I see Cami cringe. "That's not what I mean. Some of those women smile and I call them 'baby' and 'sugar'. Most smile back, some give me a hug, and I feel okay about our one night. Some avoid me at all costs and, hell, several call me out. It's not until recently that I even gave a damn. I don't want to be that guy anymore."

Cami moves her chair back. "I'm leaving you in the hands of my husband."

I know how women work. "Don't call her."

Cami places her palm to her heart. "That sucks." She gives me a smile. "If she comes to me, I'm all ears, but I promise not to mention anything you've said. Family needs to stick together and, if the bitch dumped you, I'm on your side." She's back to biting her lip.

"Go, please. I can't handle your sarcasm." It's the twinkle in her eyes that gives her away. This must make her day.

She walks past me and ruffles my hair. "Chin up, killer. I've never seen you sit on your ass and not go after what you want." She walks into the other room.

"What she said," my brother adds as he takes his seat across from me.

"I wish it was that simple."

"So make it simple."

My elbows are resting on the table and I bury my head in my hands. I spill everythingmy lack of a sex life over the past few months, my feelings of discontent with my life, and also everything that happened with Danny. Okay, almost everything. I don't tell him about the dildo launched at my head, or how her eyes looked with my cock in her mouth.

My brother listens to the entire story without laughing, though a smile tugs at his lips now and then. I throw out several plans to get back into Danny's good graces. Mostly, Joel changes each idea after adding his advice to it. A couple hours later the weather improves, and I drive home.

I wait until the next day, knowing Danny doesn't work Fridays, and I send her a text.

Congrats on the championship.

I watch the clock for eight minutes before she replies.

Thank you.

My reply takes thirty seconds.

Lunch?

Two minutes this time.

No, Van, not a good idea.

My fingers fly.

What about our friendship, meet me at the tavern in thirty.

Her reply is almost instant.

No, I've changed my mind. I'd like to part as friends, though.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. I stare at the words. I thought she would at least meet up with me. I finally text back.

We need to talk about this.

She takes her time to give me an answer.

No, that's not what's best for me.

It takes everything I have not to text back that I'm what's best for her. Who am I fooling? Danny is in a league of her own. She's a loner, does her own thing, and has since college and most likely before.

I lay my phone on the dining table and decide not to message her back right now. I'm putting plan B into action. This is far from over. I thought about a lot of things the night before, and even more this morning. Dick-face and why I never liked him was on the list. The truth is I hated seeing his hands on Danny. It grated on my nerves. One night, after he walked away to get another round of beer at the bar, Danny told me to stop glaring. I laughed and told her if he couldn't take the heat then he wasn't the man for her. She punched my arm. I never gave it another thought because it was only a few days later that she broke it off with him. Our friendship went back to what it had been: drinking, teasing, coaching-buddies. Safe and exactly how I liked it. Everything was good, as long as Danny's attention was on me. I had no real reason to think that Dick-face was a dick-face. He treated her well. Hell, he even enjoyed rugby. I told myself back then that Danny could do better and I just plain didn't like the guy.

The Danny who wasn't in my sights months ago maybe really was in my sights, and I was just too stupid to realize it. I was shocked the afternoon she walked onto the rugby field as the assistant coach for the peewees. I'd dreaded the entire coaching experience, and only filled in for my brother last season because Cami was nearing the end of her pregnancy. Danny was so great with the young kids on our team. Her yin to my yangwe made good coaching partners. I loved every minute of the season and enjoyed the kids more than I ever expected to. Danny turned a chore into something fun. Heck, I've already signed up for next season- with Danny. She had a way of turning little hellions with too much energy into kids who actually wanted to play rugby.

I also gave a lot of thought to her back in college. I never noticed her around. She had a few team friends, still does, but other than rugby she never socialized, except after games. Or at least that I knew about. Of course, she worked her ass off, and I'd see her at the tavern waiting tables quite often. I also replayed when I helped her out of the scrape with the jerk from college. She looked so innocent until she glared at me. She didn't need a big, strong guy to come along and save her. Danny Brighton could save herself and, while she did it, she worked her butt off so she could get her degree and play rugby. She still works hard, lives in a tiny nothing apartment so she can play a sport she loves. I understand. We both have rugby running through our veins.

Danny's perfect for me, and I need to make her realize this.