If you’re going to spend the day with me, you’ll have to take the baseboards.
I hate cleaning the baseboards and, for some reason, all the women who stay at the Mid-Night Inn are crazy about clean baseboards. But we don’t get that many women here, really. Most of the guests—our manager Billy makes us call them that, not “customers”—are guys. Guys and bickering families with a bunch of kids, all with sticky hands.
We only get two kinds of guests at the Mid-Night Inn, anyway: Desperate people who can’t quite make it to another, better place further down the road and coupon clippers looking for the cheapest, lowest-rent option they can find. We’re cheap, sure. But that’s because the baseboards might come with a little dust, OK?
Lu doesn’t mind the baseboards, so she does a better job when she’s on the cleaning cart and I’m behind the front desk. To pay her back, I get the higher stuff she can’t reach when I’m on the cart, cobwebs on the second floor walkway and stuff like that. If you spend a day with me, you’ll spend it with Lu, too. Lu and me—we make a good team. We have fun making fun of Billy, goofing off, talking about the things we wish we were doing, other than cleaning at a crapheap roadside motel. Lu is pretty much my best friend, even though she’s older than I am and has three kids and a husband. I have none of that—just me and my mom. But I’ve been friends with people I had lot in common with before, and it didn’t stick. Like, everything in the world in common, and then poof, she’s out of my life forever.
It’s weird to think about that now, how I used to have a best friend and now—who knows where she is? Well, I heard she lives in Chicago, actually. Maddy Bell. Probably has a great life, everything she ever wanted. She was always prettier, always had Beck, her boyfriend, hanging all over her. I got better grades, maybe, and got into less trouble. Not that any of that ever panned out. But she was always braver than I was and, yeah, on the track team, she was always a split second faster.
It’s crazy the difference a split second can make.
Ten years. Our high school reunion is coming up. I don’t plan on going, but I wonder . . . well, it doesn’t matter. I wonder a lot of things. What would have been different if I’d won a couple of those races back in school? What would I be doing if I hadn’t left college after one semester? If my dad hadn’t died and my mom hadn’t been so sad all this time? What if—but I could spend the next ten years playing that game. The game nobody really wins.
If I were Maddy Bell, I would never come back here. But what if she does? What if she walks through the front door of the Mid-Night some night? Maddy Bell, all big time and as beautiful as ever?
I don’t know what I’d do, but I bet it wouldn’t be pretty.
You can read more about Juliet in Little Pretty Things, published by Seventh Street Books.
GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment by 12 a.m. eastern on July 13 for the chance to win a print copy of Little Pretty Things. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be notified within 48 hours after giveaway closes and you will have three days to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected.
About the author
Lori Rader-Day’s debut mystery, The Black Hour, received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal and was a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award and the Anthony Award for Best First Novel. Her short stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Time Out Chicago, Good Housekeeping, and others. Little Pretty Things is her second book. She lives in Chicago. Visit Lori at www.loriraderday.com
This sounds like a great book! Thank you for the chance!
Looks like a good read
I don’t really like to take the baseboards either. I don’t go to reunions, but I’ll bet that Juliet always does & that Maddy Bell is coming too. I hope she does. I’m dying to read all about it.
Sounds wonderful. I have never gone to my reunions either, never saw the point. I keep in touch with the friends I wish to. Thank you for the opportunity!
Sounds like a great read!
I didn’t go to any reunions until my 50th and had a blast. Now baseboards are something worth swapping out. Sounds like a good book.
Sound like a great book. I’ve never gone to my reunions either. Thank you for this opportunity!
Interesting.
This book has me so intrigued! I would be happy to win! Thanks!
Sounds great, I never went to a reunion , don’t plan on it ever either lol
Sounds great! Thanks for the giveaway!
This book sounds so good! I don’t go to reunions either. High school was hard enough to experience the first time! 🙂
I love a good mystery. Would love to win a copy of this book.
Lauigl [at] carolina [dot] rr [dot] com
New author for me and an interesting “interview.” I want to read this one for sure! Thanks to Lori and Dru for the opportunity to win a copy! 🙂
An intriguing mystery which interests me. Thanks for this giveaway.
I have never gone to a high school reunion. For one thing we had 1,500 in our graduating class so I can’t even remember but a few of their names and another, it is a long time back. I am intrigued about the main characters type of work. Thank you for the chance to win.
High school reunions can be a time of fun or a time of rehashing painful memories. I figure if I haven’t stayed in touch with someone from my class then there must not be a reason to do so now. Thanks for the intro to this book. robeader53@yahoo.com
Ugh! Baseboards, no thanks, too hard on my knees. I’ll help with the high stuff. Nice to meet you though. Thanks for the chance to win.
Im taller so ill take the cobwebs, lol sounds like a great read, would love to win
Well. Not a happy camper, is she?
I love the “what ifs”. Thank you for the intro to this author. I’m looking forward to the resolution.
I’ve never attended a high school reunion but have kept up with a lot of my classmates. They look so “old”! 😉
I don’t like baseboards either. And some old classmates do leave one with a revengeful attitude. Sounds like I had better read this one.
Loved Lori’s first book. Just from this small passage, I can see this one is going to be a winner, too. (should I admit it made me glance at my baseboards?)
My baseboards are *dusty*. I have to admit, though, I go to class reunions, because I was class president. Senior class president is a job for life—they plan the reunions. Thanks for all your comments, everyone. Good luck!! And if you don’t win on this drawing, look me up on Facebook or Twitter because there will be more giveaways!
Love the sound of this book, thanks, Dru for the introduction to a new author for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed “The Black Hour”. Now I’m looking forward to reading Lori’s new book. Many more accolades are sure to be coming her way.
I’m not familiar with this author, but it sounds like a great read
Lori Rader-Day’s insight presented with the point of view as I read it here are extraordinary and brilliant.
Thanks for the chance.
Sounds perfect for me.
I’m having a high school reunion this summer, and I’m conflicted too
Prefer baseboards to cobwebs. Like the setting. Count me in. Judy D.
This sounds like such a great book, so many different views and memories. Thanks for the giveaway.
I loved THE BLACK HOUR and cannot wait to read this latest release! Thank you for the opportunity!
Looks like a good series.
I was just cleaning baseboards today, first time in forever since I hate it too! Thanks for the giveaway.
Sounds interesting.
Never went to any high school reunions, either. A lot of kids teased and bullied me in school so I wouldn’t want to see them again. Also I haven’t accomplished much and I bet people would’ve expected more from me.
Sounds like a good book and interesting with the motel setting.
Clean baseboards…oh yeah! Sounds good…
Please enter me…
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
Would love to read this book!!!
Love cozy mysteries. This one looks good and I would love to win. Thanks.
Another great sounding mystery that I would love to read. Thanks for the chance to win it.
contest is closed.