Free Worth The Effort (The Worth Series Book 4: A Copper Country Romance) by Mara Jacobs Page A

to know is what kind of kisser Sawyer Beck is, but I guess that would be unprofessional to ask.”
    Deni laughed, out of shock as well as amusement. “Um…that was so not what I thought you were going to say.”
    “I am a therapist. But I’m also a woman. And Sawyer Beck…Well, let me just say, he was the older bad boy from Calumet, and we Hancock girls thought he was…” She trailed off, but Deni knew what Alison was thinking. She’d thought it herself.
    “Dangerous,” Deni whispered.
    Alison chuckled. “Yes. Exactly. Of course, we all got to know each other as adults, and of course we all changed. But Sawyer Beck was always kind of this elusive figure.”
    “Like some kind of white whale?”
    “A sexy-as-hell white whale.”
    “I guess so,” Deni added, and they both laughed.
    “So, he kissed you the other night. Was that all there was?”
    It was Deni’s turn to flash the devilish smile. “Are you asking as my therapist or because you want to finally know what kind of kisser Sawyer Beck is?”
    “Both,” Alison answered with a smile.
    “Then will you tell me what kind of kisser Petey Ryan is?” Deni teased Alison. They were probably on the fringes of professionalism, but it felt good to joke with someone. Even if that someone knew all her issues.
    But apparently Alison was willing to let the boundary shift a little as she smiled and said in a near whisper, “Dangerous.”
    “You seem like such an unusual match,” Deni said, hoping she wasn’t offending Alison.
    “I know. We are. We fought it for a long time because of that.” She glanced away for a second, then looked back to Deni and shrugged. “I got tired of fighting something that made me feel so good.”
    “Is it that easy?” Deni asked. They both knew she wasn’t asking about Alison and Petey any longer.
    “No. It isn’t easy at all. It’s a struggle. It may be a struggle for a long time. Or it might get better once spring is here.”
    Deni nodded.
    “So, last week you spent time out, shopping for something that you don’t typically wear.”
    Deni nodded, one finger tracing across the pink nail of another.
    “This week I’d like you to try going to a place in the area that you haven’t been to before. And take some time planning it. No spur of the moment trip to, like, the hardware store if you’ve never been there.”
    “I go to the hardware store all the time. McGee’s was one of the first places I stopped in when I moved here.”
    Alison chuckled. “I forgot who I was talking to for a moment. So, maybe a restaurant that you haven’t tried. Maybe in Baraga or L’Anse, some place that you have to plan for, think about, and take some time getting to.”
    A sense of dread started to crawl up Deni’s back. “I don’t know if I can. I’m going to be putting in a lot of hours trying to do some research on this indoor driving range thing.” She didn’t know that to be true. Sawyer had said something to Petey the other night about keeping her on the project, though that might have changed since that kiss.
    And the truth was an indoor driving range wasn’t even something she was very interested in.
    Or hadn’t been before…
    “Are you becoming nervous just thinking about doing it?” Alison asked, and Deni realized she’d hit the nail on the head.
    “Yes, I guess so.”
    “All the more reason to do it.”
    Deni nodded, knowing Alison was right, yet getting the creeps just thinking about it. She tried to see herself finding a neat little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that was new to her and enjoying a meal there. Maybe she’d even invite Claire or Charlie. But the vision of her bed and its warm covers supplanted her happy vision.
    “You can do this, Denise,” Alison said. Deni nodded again, though she didn’t feel quite as confident. “I was surprised at dinner the other night when you introduced yourself as Deni. Is that the name you prefer?”
    “Yes,” Deni said, with a bit of sheepishness. “I don’t know