Page 71 of Dream On, Ramona Riley

A story, that was it.

There was really only one problem.

She knew Ramona would never go for it.

True, she didn’t know Ramona that well, but she didn’t seem like the kind of person who would want to take part in a bona fide Hollywood shenanigan to reinvent Dylan’s image. Ramona wasreal, and she was about real things.

Dylan closed her eyes, trying to figure out how to work this, if it even could be worked, but then she realized something.

ShelikedRamona. Ramona Riley was the first girl Dylan had ever kissed, a person she actually enjoyed being with. It wouldn’t be hard to spend more time with her. Hold her hand. Sure, she hadn’t planned on acting on her crush, as every romantic relationship she’d ever had ended in disaster, but Ramona would be different.

Because Dylan could control the ending.

She’d ask Ramona out, pose it as summer fun, that was it. They were already hanging out so Dylan could experience some normalcy, why not add some hand-holding to the mix? It wouldn’t even be a lie. Dylan was certainly attracted to Ramona, wouldn’t mind at all if they kissed a little, but that would be it. If Ramona helped smooth out some of Dylan’s admittedly rough edges…was there really any harm in that?

This was easy.

Innocent.

So, no, Dylan and Ramona weren’t such a stretch. Ramona had her own life here, and Dylan’s was in LA. This was simple. Or itcouldbe simple if Dylan would just get out of her own head. She nodded to herself, as though she could shake the prickle of unease right out of her gut. That was just nerves. Just crush feelings. This would be fine. She’d date Ramona, they’d have fun together, and Dylan would prove all the assholes wrong with her portrayal of Eloise Tucker.

And when it was all over, it would be over.

“Okay,” she said, standing up. “I’ll do it.”

Laurel smiled, said nothing, but she didn’t have to.

Dylan turned to face the mirror, wiped away the mascara flakes under her eyes, smoothed the tangles in her hair from where her hands had knotted in the tresses.

Then she opened the door and went to find Ramona Riley.

Chapter

Seventeen

“There’s our famous girl!”

Ramona had barely set foot in Clover Moon when the entire place erupted.

“Ramona, how did it happen?”

“Have you kissed her yet?”

“Does she wear colored contacts?”

Ramona blinked in the doorway as every single eye in the dining room landed on her, townsfolk shouting at her from their seats.

“Don’t forget about us when you get married!”

“What’s she like in bed, honey?”

This from Annette Fontaine, an octogenarian with a penchant for smut.

“Annette, for god’s sake,” Ramona said.

Annette just shrugged and went back to her omelet.

“Hey, darling!”