Ripped at the Seams by Nancy Krulik

not being able to shower was just toogross for me. The smell of pierogi coming from the Russian restaurant down the block is bad enough!”
    Rain tossed a couch pillow at Vin. “Thanks, buddy. Just what I needed, you telling a potential roommate that I stink.”
    â€œI didn’t say you stink … just that we’d all be in trouble if I didn’t fix that shower.”
    Rain turned to Sami. “Watch out for this guy,” she warned. “He grew up in Brooklyn. You know no one from the OBs can be completely trusted.”
    Sami tore her gaze from Vin and looked at Rain curiously. “OBs?”
    â€œOuter boroughs,” Vin explained. “Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Rayna here is a total Manhattan snob.”
    â€œCan I help it if I don’t see any point in hanging out with the bridge-and-tunnel crowd?” she teased back.
    â€œRayna? Oh, I’m sorry,” Sami apologized quickly. “I thought you said your name was Rain.”
    â€œIt is,” Rain assured her.
    â€œOh, right,” Vin teased. “That’s your name
now
. But all your friends and familyat home call you Rayna. It’s Rayna Goldfein,” he told Sami.
    â€œOh, no!” Rain exclaimed suddenly. “You’ve told her my deep, dark secret. I’m sorry, Sami, but now I’m going to have to kill you.”
    For a moment, Sami stared at her, not quite sure if she was kidding.
    â€œRelax, kiddo, it was a joke,” Rain pointed out.
    Sami smiled nervously. “I knew that. I’m just a little shaky after what happened at the Beresford Arms.”
    â€œThere was a murder at the hotel where she’s been staying,” Rain explained to Vin.
    â€œThat’s tough stuff to deal with,” Vin consoled her. “Anyone you know?”
    Sami shook her head. “No. I don’t know anyone there. I kind of keep to myself.” Talking about the Beresford Arms made Sami nervous. She quickly changed the subject. “What made you change your name?”
    Raina shrugged. “The agency decided that Rayna Goldfein didn’t have enough pizzazz. So now I’m just Rain G.”
    â€œI like it,” Sami assured her.
    â€œI like
you,
” Rain replied. She held out her hand toward Sami. “This is going to work out great. Two small-town girls in the big, bad city. We could take over!”
    Sami reached out and shook Rains hand, sealing the deal.
    â€œHeaven help us,” Vin teased.
    â€œYou’d better watch out,” Rain teased back. “Now it’s two against one in this hallway. Country girls versus Brooklyn boy. You don’t stand a chance.”
    Vin looked back into Sami’s blue eyes. “I think I’m lost already.”
    It was almost eleven o’clock before Sami had a chance to check in with Celia and Al. Luckily, with the time difference, her best friend and her brother were still wide awake.
    â€œHello?” Celia answered.
    â€œHey, Celia!” Sami replied excitedly. “Guess where I am?”
    â€œThe Plaza Hotel?” Celia asked.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThe Staten Island Ferry?”
    â€œAt this time of night?” Sami said, surprised.
    â€œYou’re right,” Celia agreed with a laugh in her voice. “Where could you be calling from at eleven at night, New York time? How about prison?” Celia teased.
    Sami giggled. “Of course not.”
    â€œOkay, I give up. Where are you?”
    â€œIn my
apartment
!” Sami squealed.
    â€œYou got an apartment already?”
    â€œYup,
and
I got a job!”
    Now it was Celia’s turn to squeal. “You got a design job? Ohmigod! This is so exciting!”
    â€œWell, it’s not that exciting,” Sami admitted. “It’s not exactly a design job. But I
am
working at a design house. I’m the receptionist at Ted Fromme Fashions.”
    â€œOh.” Celia clearly struggled not to sound