Babette Robinson changes careers and lovers as easily as she changes hairstyles. But after losing her last job, she's beginning to see that her feather-to-the-wind mentality can be unsatisfying in the long run. She's been helping a string of friends solve their relationship problems, and when one pal points out to Babette that she could make a career out of curing people's romantic ills, she decides to dub herself "The Love Doctor" -- a match-mender-for-hire. Living in Birmingham, Alabama, with its elite class of wealthy women, Babette has access to the ideal clientele, including the well-known Birmingham socialite Kitty Carelle. Having unceremoniously dumped her lover, Kitty now regrets her hasty decision and wants him back. Trouble is, the man Kitty seeks to recapture is none other than Jeff Eubanks -- Babette's ex! The carefree Babette of three years ago had written him off with a shrug, yet now she can't help remembering that he did give her the absolute best sex of her life...not to mention his charm, good looks, and brains. To save her newfound career and prove she can stick with something--if not someone--Babette is determined to mend Kitty and Jeff's broken relationship, but Jeff has other plans. He was crazy about Babette when she suddenly bailed on their relationship, and after Kitty did the same he became convinced that no woman can ever commit. To prove his point, Jeff issues Babette a challenge: no flirting for a week, and he'll talk to Kitty. That is, if, after seven tempting nights on the beach with Jeff, it's still with Kitty that she wants him to reconcile.
Release date:
January 10, 2009
Publisher:
Forever
Print pages:
324
* BingeBooks earns revenue from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate as well as from other retail partners.
“It’s not just commitment that concerns me,” Jeff said. “It’s the fact that women simply can’t be satisfied. They’re constantly flirting, constantly on the hunt. I’ve heard that it’s believed that males think about sex three times as much as females. Bull.”
“Are you talking about women in general or me specifically?” Babette asked.
“Both.”
“That’s not true.”
“Prove it, and if you do, then I’ll talk to Kitty.”
“Prove it—how?”
“For the remainder of the time you’re here, you remain focused on the job and you forego the temptation to flirt with every guy on the beach.”
“I’m supposed to be at the beach for a whole week and not even flirt? In order to prove to you that woman can commit?” she asked. “That makes no sense.”
He stood. “Fine. That was my offer.” He started walking toward the door, and Babette gawked at his ass in those pants. Damn piña colada. Definitely would have to lay off of them over the next two weeks, because she was accepting his ridiculous challenge.
“You’re on.”
TO CATCH A CHEAT
“A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy . . . Ms. St. John pens a clever story that is not only steeped in humor, but simmering with sexual tension and spicy love scenes.”
—FallenAngelReviews.com
“A cute, fun read, Marissa and Trent’s romantic romp will make you laugh out loud.”
—Parkersburg News
“Readers will . . . root for the heroine to finally catch her cheat.”
—Midwest Book Review
REAL WOMEN DON’T WEAR SIZE 2
“Hot fun . . . This is steamy reading that should appeal to those in the Sex and the City crowd.”
—Publishers Weekly
“St. John continues to show her flair for comedic timing and dialogue in her latest chick-lit romp.”
—Booklist
“A poignant tale that proves that fun and love come in all sizes, be sure to check out Real Women Don’t Wear Size 2.”
—RomRevToday.com
“Witty, funny, cute, sassy, touching, affirming . . . This is great romance (definitely a hot one) that is a real hoot . . . Kelley St. John has hit the ball out of the park with Real Women Don’t Wear Size 2.”
—OnceUponaRomance.net
“An entertaining contemporary romance . . . fans will enjoy the escapades of a woman in love.”
—TheBestReviews.com
“A great book to take to the beach or read by the pool . . . if the sun is not hot enough for you, this book will be!”
—RomanceReaderAtHeart.com
“A cute story—fun—and very, very erotic and sexy.”
—RomanceReviewsMag.com
GOOD GIRLS DON’T
“Sizzling . . . Good Girls Don’t is just what the cover claims: a sexy, sassy romance about compromising positions.”
—Rendezvous
“Fast-paced, sexy, and witty . . . will please fans of Sex and the City.”
—Booklist
“A sexy read . . . Pure, fabulous fun!”
—Julie Leto, author of Dirty Little Secrets
“[A] fun tale . . . Hits the right G-note.”
—TheBestReviews.com
“Wow! This is over the top, and all the fun of a sweet Sex and the City! Fans of sizzling romance will have a ride on cloud nine with this one.”
—Maggie Davis, author of Hustle Sweet Love
“Kelley St. John’s sexy debut, Good Girls Don’t, delivers both heat and heart, making St. John an author to watch!”
—Julie Kenner, author of The Givenchy Code and Carpe Demon
“Original, fast-paced, sexy and sassy . . . For all you chick-lit fans out there, heads up! There’s a new kid on the block, and she totally rocks.”
—RomanceDesigns.com
“One of the most entertaining romances I’ve read in a while. Kelley St. John brings her characters to life, and readers will find themselves immersed in the story from the first sentence on . . . This is one of those ‘Don’t Miss’ recommend[ations], guaranteed to leave readers wanting more.”
—LoveRomances.com
“Good Girls Don’t shines, and the novel has found a place on my ‘permanent keeper’ shelf. Kelley St. John will take the romance world by storm!”
—TheRomanceReadersConnection.com
“A very entertaining contemporary romance novel . . . a sexy and fun read.”
—MyShelf.com
“FOUR STARS! A super-sexy and super-funny charmer of a story . . . St. John takes the rider on a wheelie ride of emotion—from laugh-out-loud to that little choke in your throat, and then back to laughing.”
—BooksforaBuck.com
“Will be enjoyed by anyone who likes hot contemporaries.”
—RomanceReaderatHeart.com
“A PERFECT TEN! A story with fast-moving action, sincere emotions, and the longing for love that is in all of us . . . a dynamite first novel filled with passion, emotion, and laughs. Good Girls Don’t pulled out all the stops . . . so what else can I do but give it RRT’s Perfect 10 award? I know you will give it one too.”
—RomRevToday.com
“A must-have! Fun and sexy . . . I highly recommend!”
—JoyfullyReviewed.com
Chapter 1
Babette Robinson’s breath caught, her stomach knotted, and her heart did that whole shall-I-keep-beating-or-shall-I-stop thing when Ethan Eubanks glanced across the reception hall, held up his glass of champagne and smiled toward her table. He was smiling at his wife, Babette’s sister, but that didn’t matter. Babette simply couldn’t control the typical response to seeing him, not because she had any feelings for Ethan that way, but because he was the spitting image of his twin, and whether she liked it or not, she always had some form of Jeff’s image tickling the back of her brain. It was such a nice image, after all. And seeing Ethan brought it right up front and center.
Sandy blond hair, turquoise eyes, sexy smirk. Jeff’s skin was more golden, due to his full-time beach residence, but other than that, the two were identical. Either one of them could double for Jude Law and totally be convincing. But it wasn’t Jude that Babette saw when she looked at her brother-in-law; it was Jeff. And her current vision of Jeff had him in the buff.
Again, not a bad image.
“Hellloooo. Earth to Babette, and a gentle reminder—that’s Ethan,” Clarise said, leaning forward and snapping her fingers in front of Babette’s face.
“Trust me, I know.”
“Yet you still see Jeff when you look at him. You realize that it’s somewhat uncomfortable to watch my sister’s eyes glaze over every time she looks at my husband.”
“Right. Sorry.”
“I realize that I should take it easy on you, since it’s your birthday,” Clarise said, “but I’d like you to at least attempt to remember which brother is attending Richard and Genie’s wedding.”
“Jeff should be here,” Babette mumbled against her glass, then sipped more champagne. “Richard is his friend, and Jeff was with me when I first realized that he still loved Genie. It’s because of us that they worked things out last year, and that now they’re married.”
“Exactly what did Jeff have to do with it?” Clarise took a bite of the chocolate groom’s cake, then hummed her contentment. “Sure, he introduced you to his friends, but you’re the one who made it your mission to learn the story behind the tension between them and get them back together.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have met them without Jeff, now would I?”
Clarise swallowed another bite of cake, smirked. “Jeff has been swamped with work lately. Plus, it isn’t like he lives right down the street. It’s a six-hour drive from Destin to Birmingham.”
“His family owns the company. He can take off when he wants, and you know it. And I know how far it is.” She’d driven it, plenty of times, when she’d visited him at his condo on the beach. Visited. Such a light word for everything they experienced in that condo, and on that beach, for that matter.
“For someone who hasn’t even spoken to him in months, you seem mighty disappointed that he didn’t show. And you’ve hardly spent any time at all with your gorgeous date.” Clarise scanned the reception hall. “Where is he, anyway?”
“Probably with Jesilyn.”
“With Jesilyn?” Clarise’s brows hitched beneath her bangs. Jesilyn was one of their dearest friends. Babette had spotted the sparks between her and Robbie immediately, so she left them alone. Or rather, she’d nudged them along. Didn’t matter that he’d come with Babette; she’d only brought him on the off-chance of making Jeff jealous anyway.
“Yes, with Jesilyn,” Babette said dismissively. “And that’s fine. Now, what were we talking about, again?” She knew, of course, but she didn’t want to be the one to bring Jeff back up. And she also knew that Clarise wouldn’t disappoint.
“We were talking about my brother-in-law,” Clarise answered. “You’ve hardly mentioned him since your split in the summer, and suddenly you can’t stop talking about him. Wouldn’t have anything to do with that announcement in the society section of today’s paper, would it?”
“Announcement?” Babette turned her eyes toward the dance floor and wished that the band would start back up. The current lull in music wasn’t affording her any opportunity to feign more interest in the dancing than the conversation.
“Nice try, sis,” Clarise said, and Babette glanced back to see her grinning as she took another bite. “But I know you too well. You read the announcement that he and Kitty Carelle are engaged, and you’re wondering if I know the details.”
Babette started to answer, but was halted by the sudden appearance of their grandmother.
“Whew, I’ve got to sit down for a breather. The twins are adorable, but they’re running their great-grandmother ragged.” Gertrude Robinson dropped into an empty chair at the table, placed a big slab of white wedding cake in front of her and grinned at Clarise and Babette. Her bold platinum waves were a little less exuberant than they had been at the wedding service, kind of flopping in toward her face and shielding her eyes, but nothing could shield the sparkling pink glitter on her cheeks. “Don’t you just love a Christmas wedding?” she asked, plucking a swirl of icing off the side of her cake and popping it in her mouth. “All those poinsettias and candles. Really something.”
“Granny,” Clarise said, looking behind her grandmother as she spoke, “Where are Lindy and Little Ethan?”
“Oh, don’t worry, child.” She picked up a cloth napkin from the table and used it to fan her flushed face. “I left your little angels in good hands. They’re currently going through the dessert line with their Grandma Olivia.”
Babette hadn’t realized Jeff’s mother was attending the event, but it made sense, since Richard worked as an executive for Eubanks Elegant Apparel. “I didn’t know Olivia was here. I haven’t had a chance to talk to her,” Babette said, gazing toward the dessert line to see if she could spot her niece and nephew, and Jeff’s mother.
“And what, I wonder, would you and Olivia discuss, if you happened to talk to her?” Clarise glanced at Granny Gert before adding, “I mean, after you saw today’s society pages and all.”
Granny’s focus turned from Clarise to Babette. “I wondered if you read it, but you didn’t say anything, and I figured you might not want to talk about him today, on your birthday, and especially at a wedding. Kind of always thought we’d be attending a wedding between you two, you know, instead of him planning one with that uppity society queen. Personally, I think you should call him up, or drive down to see him in Florida, whatever it takes for you two to work things out. He isn’t married yet. I’ve told you about how I hooked your grandfather, haven’t I, the first time I found him alone in his barn?”
Before Babette or Clarise could answer, Granny barreled on. “He was nineteen, I was seventeen, and he had my heart, same way he did the rest of his life, God rest his soul.” She winked. “I had to give him a bit of a push in that barn, but it was worth the effort.”
“And how was it you gave him a push?” Clarise asked, as though she couldn’t recite Granny Gert’s famed story by heart. Babette leaned forward to hear, even though she’d heard it just as many times.
Granny Gert grinned, excited. “I told him I had a mind to kiss him and a mind to marry him. And then I did both.” She turned toward Babette. “I used gumption, and I think you should use some too, with Jeff, if you want to know how I feel about it.”
Babette never had to wonder how Granny Gert felt about anything. Granny never made any bones about telling her, in detail, and quite often. And since they lived next door to each other, with Granny occupying the other half of Babette’s duplex, Granny’s opinion was always readily available.
The band started back up playing Shout! and every person on the dance floor shot their hands in the air and chanted the lyrics. Genie, still in her wedding gown, shimmied up to the stage and danced with the lead singer, while her new husband cheered.
Babette took advantage of the increased noise level to ask what she really wanted to know. “Okay, I’ll admit it. I saw the announcement, and I want details.”
Clarise shrugged. “I don’t have any. In fact, we just learned about the engagement this morning. I think Jeff had planned to tell the family in person, but then he learned that the news had leaked to the paper, and he called.”
“And?” Babette asked.
“He said that he was getting married, and he’d tell us all about it when they come home in a few days for Christmas.”
Genie’s voice, horribly off key, suddenly boomed over the microphone as the song reached its climax. “Now, wai-a-ait a minute,” she sang, while Richard, and every other guest, burst out laughing.
“Clarise, I’m taking the little darlings out to the foyer to see the big Christmas tree.” Olivia Eubanks’s voice was louder than Babette had ever heard it, with her trying to pitch it over Genie’s shrill singing and over the four-year-olds, both begging to go see the “big tree.”
“That’s fine,” Clarise said, ruffling Little Ethan’s hair as she spoke. “As long as both of you are good for Grandma Olivia.”
They bobbed their heads, while Olivia’s attention moved past her daughter-in-law and to Clarise’s sister. “Babette, I almost didn’t recognize you with the long blond hair. It’s quite stunning, dear.”
“Thanks.” Babette noted the crisp winter white suit that perfectly accented Olivia’s classic creamy white waves. The look was something totally befitting Meryl Streep’s character in The Devil Wears Prada, except where Miranda Priestly’s face always held a hint of disdain toward the world in general, Olivia’s shone with kindness.
“Last time I saw you, you had a black bob, didn’t you? Actually, that looked very nice as well,” Olivia said with a smile, while Clarise gave the kids additional instructions on what to touch, or not to touch, when they saw the Christmas tree.
“I thought she looked like Jackie Kennedy then, didn’t you?” Granny Gert asked Olivia.
“Yes, I did,” Olivia agreed. “Oh, Babette, I wanted to compliment you on the work you did for the Fall catalog. Preston went on and on about the photos you took at the last shoot, and when I saw the finished product, I could see why. You really are an excellent photographer.”
“It helps that all of the Eubanks clothes are so incredible,” Babette said.
“Well, I’d agree with you there, though I know that the models help, too. However, I also know it takes a photographer with a good eye to capture the look my husband and his boys want for the business.”
His boys. Ethan and Jeff were thirty-eight, but still “boys” in Olivia’s eyes. Babette mentally willed Olivia to say something about Jeff’s engagement.
Didn’t happen.
“Preston mentioned you’d taken a new job at an assisted living center, but he said you’d still be able to shoot our catalogs,” Olivia said. “If we put out more than two catalogs a year, maybe your work with us could be something more than part time. Anyway, I’m glad to know that you can do both.”
Babette swallowed, nodded. Maybe Olivia wouldn’t ask for details about the new job. Thankfully, Lindy and Little Ethan chose that moment to grab her hands and begin tugging her from the table.
“Come on,” Little Ethan urged.
Olivia laughed, said her goodbyes, then let the twins lead her away, before Babette learned anything at all about Jeff and Kitty Carelle.
She turned back to Granny and Clarise, while the music died to a whisper as the group got to the “a little bit softer now” part.
“Oh, honey, you were fired again, weren’t you?” Granny asked, loudly.
Babette prayed that the “little bit louder” portion of the song got here soon, before everyone at the reception heard her job woes.
“It just happened yesterday. How did you hear already?” She really hadn’t wanted to discuss yet another job loss on her birthday.
Granny’s mouth curled in a bit, not quite a frown, but not far from it. “Oh, honey, no one told me. I could see it on your face when Olivia mentioned it.”
“I missed it, but I was looking at the kids,” Clarise said. “What happened?”
“Basically, I caused a fight between two guys in wheelchairs, then received a pink slip with yesterday’s paycheck.”
The corners of Granny Gert’s pink glossed lips gave up the fight and tugged all the way down in a full frown. “I don’t get it. You were doing great at the assisted living center. All of my friends there loved you. They said so, all the time. Why, Maud Lovett said just this week that they’d never had more fun with an activities director than with you.”
“So how, exactly, did you cause a wheelchair fight?” Clarise asked, and she had the good manners not to smile or laugh when she said it, quite a feat, when considering the image those words created: silver hair, slinging fists, and wheelchairs. An odd combination, for sure, but one that Babette had seen firsthand. Not pretty.
“Remember how I told you I thought Lambert Wiggins had his eye on one of the ladies from the quilting class?”
Clarise shook her head. “No, I don’t.”
Granny nodded. “You told me, dear, when you were explaining the whole body language thing. And you know, I’m learning to spot some of the signs myself, when I’m at the center and out shopping and all. It does come in handy.”
“ ‘The body language thing?’ ” Clarise asked.
“Babette has been studying up on body language,” Granny said.
Clarise rubbed her eyes, then squinted toward Babette. “Studying up? Oh, Babette, are you going back to school again?”
“Don’t worry, I’m learning about it on my own. I’m done with degrees. Heaven knows I can’t handle any more student loans.”
Clarise sighed. Babette couldn’t blame her; the whole family knew she’d dug herself in deep with all of the debt she owed to three different universities, because she simply couldn’t make up her mind about what she wanted to do. Too bad she didn’t realize she liked trying to figure people out before her job at Shady Pines. Maybe she could’ve gotten a degree in psychology or something like that.
“Babette has a knack for reading folks,” Granny said, her train of thought apparently in line with Babette’s. “Why, she told me after her first day at the center who hung out with who, who despised who, and even who the denture thief was.”
“The denture thief? Someone was actually stealing dentures?” Clarise wrinkled her nose disgustedly, while Babette laughed.
“Not exactly stealing. Borrowing. And that one really didn’t involve any body language. I’d noticed that Ms. Mulhaney was on a soft diet, since she didn’t have teeth. Then I saw her munching on an apple at lunch. Later on, she was all gums again. And in the meantime, the denture thief had stolen Ms. Fenton’s dentures, for about an hour.”
“Long enough to eat an apple,” Clarise said, smothering her laugh.
“Yep.”
Granny Gert wasn’t as subtle with her laughter, and actually snorted. Thankfully, all of the wedding guests at the tables surrounding them seemed involved in their own conversations and didn’t notice. “Poor Ms. Mulhaney.”
“Anyway, at Shady Pines, I started noticing that I’m pretty good at reading people, their body language, even interpreting what they’re really saying when they speak. Most of the time, I’m spot on. And lately, I’ve been reading up on body language and researching it on the Internet, and I’ve bought a few books on intimate behavior, that kind of thing.” She shrugged. “You know me, always wanting to learn something new.”
“And getting bored with the things you already know,” Clarise said, grinning.
“Show Clarise how you do it,” Granny urged. “Why don’t you read Clarise?”
Clarise sat back in her chair and raised her brows speculatively. “Okay, I’m game. Read me, sis.”
“Read you?”
“Sure. What is my body language saying, right now?”
Babette realized that she had, in fact, surveyed Clarise’s actions throughout this conversation and had a good idea exactly what her sister was thinking. “It isn’t all that difficult, once you figure out the signs.”
“Okay, so read me.”
Babette narrowed her eyes a bit, focusing on her sister. “You’re trying to act interested in this conversation, but your hands are busy fiddling with your fork. However, your eyes are still paying attention to me.” She paused, recalling something else noteworthy, then added, “But when Granny mentioned I was studying how to read people, you rubbed your eyes.”
Clarise smirked. “And that tells you, what?”
“The fact that you’re fiddling with the fork but looking at me tells me that you understand what I’m saying is important, but you’ve got half a piece of chocolate cake left and you’re wanting to delve back in. But you don’t want to seem rude.”
Granny Gert laughed, and Clarise joined in. “Okay, I do want more cake, and I’m assuming it’s okay with you for me to have it while you discuss your latest dilemma.”
“Knock yourself out.”
“Is that all you can tell about me now?” Clarise asked, then took a big bite of cake.
“You rubbed your eyes,” Babette repeated. “That means you couldn’t believe what you were hearing. It’s a sign of disbelief, and in this case, I’d say you couldn’t believe that I was possibly going back to school again. Which I’m not, as I said.”
“Not bad,” Clarise said.
“It’s kind of fun, once you start learning how to do it. And I am still learning—certainly not an expert or anything.”
“She got the idea from Dr. Phil,” Granny said. “You know, he talks about body language and such a good bit, and Babette heard him mention it, decided that she might be able to use body language to help her figure out what the folks at the center were thinking, and then she started putting it in action.” Granny sounded quite impressed.
Babette was too, right up until her new technique cost her another job.
“Okay, so what does your learning how to read body language have to do. . .
We hope you are enjoying the book so far. To continue reading...
Please log in to recommend or discuss...
