"This time, being bad is actually good."
Reviewed by Stacey Herman
Posted June 14, 2007
Contemporary Chick Lit | Romance Chick-Lit
Jenny Carman is one boring 30-year-old woman. She wears
stuffy suits to her job as a CPA, does laundry on Friday
night and hasn't had sex in six years. Marcee, her man-
eating co-worker, is on a mission to loosen Jenny up for
one night and make her have fun. The two go on the prowl
for men at a local Chicago bar. Jenny sets her sight on hunky Robert. The chemistry is
there and the two venture back to his place. However, there
is one little problem. Jenny creates a more exciting,
confident alter ego for herself named Jasmine and says she
owns a salon. It's just a one-night stand, so she doesn't
see the harm in it. Of course, Jenny and Robert end up sharing more than one-
night together. As the dates pile up, so do her lies. How
will Jenny untangle the mess she has created? Overall, WHEN SHE WAS BAD is a very quick, predictable
chick-lit read. Jenny's boring life is so pathetic, this
reader was relieved when spunky Jasmine came on the scene
to spice things up. For Jenny, being bad is actually good.
SUMMARY
Jenny Carman is tired of playing by the rules. It didn't
get her the promotion she so deserved, and it certainly
didn't get her Mr. Right. Or even Mr. Right Now. It's
time for her to do something besides spend Saturday nights
at the Laundromat. So she's letting down her long blonde
hair, stepping out of her gray suits and into some sexy
stilettos
Leaning against a bar, dressed in a lacy, curve-hugging
red camisole, Jenny's ready for action--and gorgeous
businessman Robert Marshall eagerly takes the bait. She
tells him her name is Jasmine, a hairstylist, and gets
ready for a mind-blowing evening. Robert, however, is
smart, funny, sensitive--worth a lot more than a hot one-
night stand. But one lie leads to another, plunging
Jenny/Jasmine in way over her head. She can't keep this
double life up forever--but will she still drive the
handsome hunk wild if he discovers a good girl hiding
inside?
ExcerptChapter One“Want to get laid tonight?” Jennifer Carman didn’t need to look up from her computer to
know who was standing in her office doorway. Only one
person would announce herself in such a manner. Jenny hit save, swiveled her chair and smiled at the
flamboyant redhead. “Let me check my calendar.” She shot a cursory glance at the planner sitting open on
her desk and shook her head. “Sorry. Getting laid isn’t
on my schedule. And if it’s not on my schedule—“ “I know.” Marcee Robbens heaved a dramatic sigh. “It’s not
going to happen.” Dressed in a tailored navy suit, crisp white blouse and
closed-toe shoes, Marcee looked every inch a corporate
executive. But the devilish sparkle in her green eyes and
the short skirt revealing a pair of fabulous legs said
there was more to this CPA than a tax table and calculator. Jenny lifted a brow. “I thought you’d be on the train and
halfway to suburbia by now.” Marcee laughed as if Jenny had said something ridiculously
funny. “It’s Friday night. The last place I want to be is
home.” Jenny smiled ruefully. Marcee embraced the Chicago
nightlife with a passion and always had something planned
for the weekends. Jenny was usually so engrossed in work
she barely noticed when Friday rolled around. “A bunch of us are going to grab some dinner then hit the
clubs.” Marcee took a seat in the leather wingback in
front of Jenny’s desk and crossed one long leg over the
other. “Why don’t you come? Clint from Legal will be
there. He thinks you’re a real hottie.” “Clint Daniels?” Jenny furrowed her brow. “The thin guy
with the hair that always looks like it needs a trim?”
“Who cares about his hair?” Marcee’s cinnamon colored lips
turned upward. “The guy has a really nice ass.” “Clint does have a nice, uh, backside,” Jenny said. “But
we can’t be talking about the same person.” “There’s only one Clint,” Marcee said with a wink. The man Jenny was thinking of had started with the firm
last year and was kind of cute, if you liked that starving
poet look. But the last time she’d talked to him he had a
ring on his finger. “The Clint I’m thinking of is married.” Marcee rolled her eyes. “You are so out of touch. He and
his wife split last month.” Jenny frowned. “And he’s already going out?” “What’s he supposed to do?” Genuine surprise skittered
across Marcee’s face. “Sit home and cry?” “I can’t believe he’s put himself back on the dating block
so soon.” Marriage was sacred to Jenny. If she was in
Clint’s position, sitting home and crying was just what
she’d be doing. Marcee ignored the comment and tilted her head. “So, will
you come?” “I’d like to, but tonight isn’t good.” Jenny made a
conscious effort to inject a note of true regret in her
tone. After all, she did appreciate the invitation. “I
already have plans.” Marcee straightened in the chair, her eyes bright with
interest. “A date?” For a second, Jenny was tempted to say yes. Maybe come up
with some farfetched tale about a visiting Prince and a
stretch limousine. Or a sexy construction worker and a
rugged 4x4. When she’d been a teenager, Jenny had loved to
make up stories. “Tell me about him,” Marcee urged, apparently taking
Jenny’s silence for assent. “Is he hot?” Jenny opened her mouth, then shut it, reminding herself she
was an adult and lying wasn’t a good thing. Even if it did
make a dull life more interesting. “No date.” Jenny shook her head. “I’m helping my family
clean my grandmother’s house tomorrow and I need to get to
bed early.” “Cleaning?” Marcie wrinkled her nose. “I don’t really have a choice.” Jenny sighed. None of them
did. They’d put the sad task off as long as possible.
Sorting through Gram’s personal items and readying her
house for sale had to be done. If only it didn’t make her
death seem so, well, final. Jenny’s heart clenched and she brushed away sudden tears. Marcee’s expression softened in sympathy. “Is this your
grandma who died in that car accident a couple of months
ago?” Jenny nodded and took a deep steadying breath. Gram had
been a young seventy-five; active in her church and in the
community. She’d been a good driver, too. But that hadn’t
mattered. A speeding car had rear-ended her tiny import
while she was sitting at a traffic light. “She’d have wanted you to go out with your friends and have
a good time,” Marcee said in a persuasive tone. “You know
she would.” Marcee, the silver-tongued temptress. The thought brought
the smile back to Jenny’s lips. Her friend had a way of
making even the most irresponsible actions seem rational. But this time Jenny wasn’t going to cave. She’d been out
with Marcee and her friends and she knew the drill. Things
didn’t get going until at least ten, sometimes eleven.
Jenny hoped to be fast asleep by then. Besides, the last time she’d gone out had been painful.
Marcee had urged her to ask a cute guy to dance. When
she’d finally gathered up her courage, her tongue had
stumbled over the words. He’d stared at her as if she was
from another planet. Her stomach knotted, just remembering. “I still have a lot of work to do.” Jenny gestured a hand
toward her computer screen. “Once I leave here I’m going
straight to bed.” “Going to bed beats sitting in a bar any day,” Marcee said
with an impish smile. “I just hope you’re not sleeping
alone.” Marcee wiggled her brows and Jenny laughed. “Is sex all you ever think about?” Her friend’s smile widened. “What else is there when
you’re young and single?” There’d been a time when Jenny would have been horrified by
such a comment. But now Marcee’s irreverence was one of the
things Jenny liked most about her. Marcee’s freewheeling
lifestyle might be totally at odds with Jenny’s upbringing,
but she was fun. “Sure you won’t change your mind?” Marcee pulled a compact
out of her purse and peered at Jenny over the top of the
mirror. “You always have a good time when we go out.” Jenny rolled her eyes. Marcee made it sound like she was a
regular party animal. Technically she’d only gone out with
Marcee twice and each time she’d headed home after one
drink. But Marcee was right, she enjoyed socializing with
her single coworkers. All of Jenny’s other friends were married with families.
It had been fun to be around people who talked about
something other than babies and husbands. “I’m sure I’d have a blast,” Jenny said. “But tonight just
isn’t going to work.” “You don’t have to get laid,” Marcee said. “Unless you
happen to run across some really hot guy and—” “Marcee.” Jenny raised one hand. She could tell where this
was headed and it was a place she didn’t want to go. Talking about sex made her uncomfortable. Even when Jenny
had been in a relationship, she’d considered what she did—
or didn’t do—behind closed doors to be her own business. “But—“ “I can’t go tonight,” Jenny said. “Not for a drink. Or to
get laid. I have to finish this audit.” Marcee stared at Jenny for a long moment. “I’ll let you off
the hook this time. But you, my dear, really need to get
out and live a little. If you don’t, you’re going to wake
up one day and realize you gave the best years of your life
to a company that didn’t give a shit about you.” By the time Marcee finished speaking her voice was loud and
strident. Jenny had to smile. The only other thing she’d
seen Marcee so passionate about was sex. “Tell me how you
really feel.” “Smile all you want.” Marcee stood and adjusted her short
skirt. “But I’ve worked here a long time and I’ve seen it
happen over and over. This company eats up dedicated
people and spits them out. Trust me; working these long
hours isn’t worth it.” “It will be if it gets me that promotion,” Jenny
said. “Rich told me today that he plans to name another
manager before the end of the month.” Rich Dodson and his brother, Chuck, ran the prestigious CPA
firm founded by their father over forty years ago. On more
than one occasion Rich had told Jenny how impressed he was
with the way she dealt with her clients. In a round-about
way he’d implied the next step up the ladder was hers for
the taking. Concern filled Marcee’s eyes. “You deserve to be a
manager, no doubt about it. But that doesn’t always mean
anything. Not in this company.” “I’ll get it.” Jenny shoved aside a twinge of
uncertainty. “Haven’t you heard that good things come to
those who wait? And I’ve been waiting a long time for
this.” *** The shoebox in Jenny’s lap overflowed with black and white
photographs from a bygone era. The photo albums Jenny had
already retrieved from her grandmother’s closet had been
filled with pictures of family, but these loose photos all
appeared to be of Gram and her friend, Jasmine Coret. Jenny told herself she didn’t have time to look. Still,
her gaze lowered and Jasmine Coret smiled back at her. Though Jenny had never met the woman, she recognized her
instantly. Jasmine had been her grandmother’s best friend
when she’d been young and a picture of her had sat atop
Gram’s piano for as long as Jenny could remember. She’d
died when she was Jenny’s age but Gram had frequently said
Jasmine packed more living into her thirty years than most
people did in a lifetime. Jenny held the colorized photograph up to the light. The
stylish hat on the woman’s auburn curls sat at a saucy
angle and she’d puckered her red painted lips for the
camera, as if blowing a kiss to the photographer. She
looked so happy and carefree that Jenny couldn’t help but
smile back. In the next photo, a handsome soldier in uniform gazed at
Jasmine as if she was the only woman in the world. Jenny’s
heart twisted. What would it be like to spark such
adoration? It didn’t seem fair. Jasmine’s life had been filled with
fun, excitement and handsome men. Jenny’s life was filled
with spread sheets, long hours and men who never gave her a
second look. “Get back to work,” Jenny’s seventeen-year-old sister
called out from across the room Jenny stared at the picture for a moment longer before
returning it to the box. Annie was right. There was no
time for a pity party. Not when there was work to do. She’d just taken the last dress from her grandmother’s
bedroom closet when she discovered another box at the back
of the top shelf. Standing on her tiptoes, Jenny lifted it
down carefully, wondering what she’d find this time. She’d
already found a number of items Gram had squirreled away; a
gift set of towels still in the cellophane in the back of
the linen closet and a pair of brand new crystal earrings
in a jewelry chest. Jenny placed the box on the bed and lifted the lid,
anticipation fueling her movements. But the moment her
gaze settled on the decorative vase surrounded by shiny
foil, a wave of sadness washed over her and she wished
she’d left it on the shelf. “It’s still in the wrapping paper,” she said almost to
herself. Annie, curious as a cat, scrambled to her feet and peered
over her shoulder. “Isn’t that the vase you got Gram?” “Five years ago.” Jenny caressed the deep red glass with a
fingertip. “I bought it out of my first paycheck from
Dodson and Dodson.” Her grandmother had seen the antique cranberry vase in a
store in Long Grove and had instantly fallen in love with
it. Unbeknownst to her grandmother Jenny had gone back and
bought it for her birthday. Jenny lifted a puzzled gaze. “She never used it.” Though she’d tried to speak matter-of-factly, Jenny
couldn’t keep the disappointment from her voice. She
thought she’d given her Grandmother something she liked… “Are you almost finished?” Jenny’s mother bustled into the
room and lowered an armful of bedding into a large
cardboard box on the floor. In her mid-fifties, she looked
like an older version of her two daughters. Although her
hair had darkened from the honey blonde of her youth, her
eyes were the same bright blue and her laugh just as
infectious. Life had been good to Carol Carman and it showed. She
straightened and a questioning look crossed her
face. “Jennifer?” “Gram didn’t like Jenny’s gift,” Annie announced. “I thought she did.” Jenny tried to smile but her lips
refused to cooperate. “I guess I was wrong.” “I’m not sure I know the gift you’re talking about.” Carol
stepped over the pile of shoes Annie had been sorting and
moved to the bed. “What was it?” “A vase.” Jenny lifted the box for her mother’s inspection. The minute her mother’s eyes lit on the cranberry colored
glass, her lips curved up in a smile. “I remember this.
You gave it to her the year we had her birthday celebration
at Maggiano’s. She was so happy she cried.” “So happy she took it home and shoved it in the back of the
closet,” Annie said with customary bluntness. “That’s what
I do with gifts I don’t like.” To Jenny’s surprise her mother laughed. “That’s what I do, too,” Carol said. “But my mother wasn’t
like us. She was more like Jenny. She put things she
treasured away for safekeeping, waiting for just the right
time to use them.” “I don’t do that,” Jenny protested. Carol and Annie exchanged a knowing smile and Jenny could
feel her face warm. “I use what I’m given,” Jenny insisted. “What about those placemats and napkin rings I got you for
Christmas?” her mother asked. “I haven’t seen those on
your table. Didn’t you like them?” “I love them,” Jenny said. “I just haven’t had any company
and—“ “See. You’re just like Gram,” Annie said with a superior
smile. “Isn’t she, Mom?” But her mother was too smart to be so easily drawn into
choosing sides. Carol’s face softened. “All I’m saying is
Gram loved your gift. Don’t think she didn’t.” Jenny shoved the foil around the vase and replaced the lid
on the box. She was too tired to argue. What did it
matter now anyway? She held the box out to her mother. Carol shook her head. “Gram would have wanted you to have
it.” Jenny sighed. She supposed she’d keep the vase. Though it
was too formal for her apartment, she’d find a place for
it. And every time she looked at it, she’d remember all
the times she and Gram spent ‘antiquing’ together in Long
Grove. Happy times they’d never again share. A tightness gripped
her heart and Jenny found herself blinking back tears. “I
miss her so much.” Annie lowered her gaze, her normally animated face
uncharacteristically solemn. “She won’t be there to see me
graduate next year.” “She always joked that she’d dance all night at my
wedding.” The lump in Jenny’s throat grew thicker as
memories flooded back. “She had a good life.” Her mother cleared her throat and
her eyes shimmered with tears. She awkwardly patted
Jenny’s shoulder. “Her car accident should be a reminder
to all of us. We need to enjoy the here and now because we
never know when God will call us home.” “Carpe diem.” Annie nodded. “That’s my motto.” Jenny knew she shouldn’t laugh but she couldn’t help it.
Annie had never been particularly introspective and if the
stylish teenager wanted a motto, “I’ll shop ‘til I drop,”
would probably be more appropriate. “Do you even know what
Carpe Diem means?” Annie’s eyes flashed. “You think you’re the only smart one
in this family?” Her mother shot Jenny a you’d-better-take-care-of-this-
right-now look. “I never said you weren’t smart,” Jenny said quickly.
Annie might have blonde hair, but they all knew she had a
redhead’s temper. Unfortunately the look on Annie’s face said she wasn’t
about to be easily appeased. “Valedictorian,” Annie spat the word. “Straight A’s. Big
deal. At least I haven’t spent my high school years
sitting home on the weekends. At least boys like me.” “Boys like me.” The childish words were out of Jenny’s
mouth before she could stop them. “Girls.” Carol’s eyes flashed a warning. “I know we’re all
a bit on edge, but let’s try and be nice.” “I know what Carpe Diem means,” Annie said, apparently
determined to get the last word. “And I’m never going to
let life pass me by.” “I don’t think there’s any danger of that.” Carol
chuckled. “You seize every moment and then some.” The irritation on Annie’s face eased at her mother’s
obvious approval. “I do my best.” Annie shot Jenny a smug look. She tossed
her head sending her long hair cascading down her back. “I know you do,” her mother said. What about me? Jenny wanted to ask. Don’t you think I’m
doing my best? But Jenny stayed silent. She already had a
good idea what her mother would say. When she’d turned
thirty last year, her parents had made it very clear that
they thought she was putting way too much emphasis on her
career. That there was more to life than professional
success. Which was all well and good, if she had a personal life
clamoring for attention. But she didn’t. Other than
Marcee, her friends were all married, most with kids. Her
career was all she had and she was proud of what she’d
accomplished. She might not be good socially, but she was a dynamite
accountant. That’s why, when her engagement had ended,
she’d decided to focus on her strengths. The problem was that many of her parent’s friends were
already grandparents and her Mom and Dad were getting itchy
for the pitter-patter of little feet. Hence the push for
a “balanced life.” Still, considering how supportive they’d been in the past,
her parents’ attitude hurt. Sure she was working long
hours and her social life was teetering on the edge of
nonexistent, but she was also on the verge of success. Jenny’s fingers tightened on the box in her hands. Why
couldn’t they see that she didn’t have time to invest in a
relationship now? There would be plenty of time later for balance…once she
got the promotion.
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