Page 142 of Dream On, Ramona Riley

“Great,” Dylan said.

“Great,” Jocelyn said.

“Great,” Jack said.

Dylan would rather be chewing on tinfoil right now.

“So,” Jocelyn said, “I hear you’re dating.”

Dylan narrowed her eyes. “I hear you’re engaged.”

Jocelyn laughed and held out her hand, a diamond sparkling on her ring finger. “I am. Ruby is wonderful.”

“So is Ramona,” Dylan said. Jack’s eyes flicked between them, his brows lowered.

“She’s made of strong stuff, then,” Jocelyn said with a smile, an insult aimed at Dylan rolled up in a pretty compliment for Ramona.

“She’s made ofrealstuff,” Dylan said, even as she knew she just needed to shut up. Be the bigger person instead of jumping into a pissing match over current partners with her ex, but Jocelyn made her feel so fucking small.

“Okay,” Jack said, clapping his hands together. “Jocelyn, why don’t we find a good spot to watch the action?”

“Sounds great, Jack, thank you,” Jocelyn crooned.

The two were about to head off, and Dylan knew she should let them, but then she saw her.

Ramona.

HerRamona.

Stepping out of the back door with a cute cream-colored apron around her waist, needles and thread and sewing scissors tucked into the pockets.

“Ramona, hey,” Dylan said, hurrying over to her. “Come meet an old friend.”

Ramona opened her mouth, a frown creasing her forehead, but Dylan simply slipped her fingers between Ramona’s and pulled her toward Jocelyn, who had stopped at the sound of Ramona’s name.

“Jocelyn, this is Ramona Riley,” Dylan said. “Ramona, Jocelyn Gareth.”

Jocelyn smiled angelically, held out her hand. “The girlfriend.”

Ramona hesitated, then took Jocelyn’s hand, shaking it only once before dropping it. She didn’t smile. Didn’t look at Dylan. In fact, she looked a little miserable, her face pale and her lower lip red and textured, as though she’d been chewing on it.

“Hey,” Dylan said softly, squeezing her palm, “are you all—”

“I’m not the girlfriend,” Ramona said, cutting Dylan off. Her eyes were fixed on Jocelyn. She untangled her fingers from Dylan’s. Her words took a few seconds to land, like the first snowflakes falling from the sky, tumbling from a huge height to the ground.

But when they finally settled…

Dylan felt everything in her go cold.

“Oh?” Jocelyn said.

Behind her, Jack cleared his throat.

“No,” Ramona said. “I’m just…I’m no one. Good luck with the song. Excuse me.”

Then Ramona turned and started walking away.

Without a word to Dylan, without even glancing in her direction.