Page 139 of Dream On, Ramona Riley

“How about this one?” Ramona said, holding up a purple silk tie with tiny darker purple leaves all over it. “It’ll complement his eyes and drive home the point that he’s into appearances.”

Noelle lifted a brow from where she was sitting on an armchair, her iPad in her lap. “And why’s that?”

Ramona considered the tie. “It’s unique. And Hunter likes being rich. Likes being a man who people underestimate. This tie will go well with the cream and emphasize that he’s a bit of a snob.”

Noelle tilted her head. “Very good.”

Ramona beamed, but tried to hide it. Yes, she was exhausted, and her feet were killing her, and she was worried about Dylan, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a sip of water, but she washappy.

This job was thrilling.

It was everything she wanted. Well, not everything. She’d much rather have her own assistant while she sat with her iPad and planned out costumes, but she knew this was the way to get there, and she loved every energy-draining second.

“Why did you drop out of RISD?” Noelle asked.

Ramona’s smile vanished. She cleared her throat, set the tie on the bed, and started looking for a shirt to go with it. “I had some family obligations.”

“Like what?”

Ramona had learned quickly that Noelle was blunt and didn’t really care about crossing personal lines. Not when it came to doing her job well.

“My mother left when I was young,” Ramona said. “And my father had an accident that put him out of work when I was nineteen. I had to come home to care for my little sister.”

Noelle nodded. “Noble.”

“No. Just necessary,” Ramona said, fingers skimming a row of dress shirts on a rack.

“It’s a shame you couldn’t finish,” Noelle said, tapping at her screen with her stylus. “Though something tells me you don’t regret it.”

Ramona smiled softly. “I could never regret my sister.”

Noelle smiled back. “Fair enough.” Then she snapped her stylus into its holder, sighed as she considered Ramona. “I think you should come work for me.”

Ramona froze, an off-white silk shirt in her hands. “As in…after this film?”

Noelle stood up and took the shirt from Ramona. She laid it on the bed next to the tie, nodded. “You’re smart. You’re hardworking. And you’ve got a passion for the work. You’remetwenty years ago.”

“But…you…I’ve only worked for you for, like, two days.”

“Sometimes that’s all it takes.” Noelle straightened, looked at Ramona over her glasses. “I’m based in LA, so you’d have to relocate, but I can help find you a place to live, and I pay a decent wage. You’d work with me on films, some plays from time to time when I get tired of Hollywood bullshit. Work your way up.”

Ramona could only stare.

Noelle smiled. “A shock, I see. But I can tell you want this. Like I said, you’re me.” She squeezed Ramona’s shoulder, just once. “Think about it. Talk to your family. This film wraps in two weeks—Vee is more interested in the makeup side of things, so they’re moving on once they’re up and about—so I’ll need you in LA by the end of the month. I’d like an answer in one week, and I don’t expect you’ll give me the wrong one.”

Ramona could only nod.

“I’m not sure if Dylan factors into it at all, considering, but feel free to talk to her too,” Noelle said. Then she went back to the chair, back to her iPad, immediately lost in her work, while Ramona stood there, processing.

She processed for what felt like hours, just standing by a clothes rack in the middle of some rich guy’s bedroom doubling as a wardrobe, Noelle’s words filtering back and over and through her brain.

LA.

Work.

Film.

Plays.