Alexandria Bellefleur

Katherine craned her head over her shoulder, frazzled eyes locking on Tansy.

Madison sipped surreptitiously from a flask before tucking it back inside the bodice of her ball gown.

Sweet, guileless Jackie looked offended on Tansy’s behalf. “Tansy’s not a liar.”

Tansy averted her gaze, fidgeting with the stem of her champagne flute, trying not to squirm or cringe or do anything that remotely screamed guilty.

Katherine’s sigh was full of reprove. “Ashleigh, darling, be nice.”

Tansy really wanted was to get through tonight unscathed, hopefully without drawing any more attention than she had already.

Tansy cringed. Maybe she was a little chagrined that Ashleigh had heard her, but she wasn’t sorry for what she’d said

Across the table, Madison’s younger sister, Jackie, smiled sweetly and pointed at the flowers. “Look at that! Congrats, Tansy.”

trying in vain to ignore Tucker’s leering eyes

Maybe it was latent self-preservation kicking in, too little, too late, but as soon as she’d learned that Tucker had proposed, every last atom in her body had recoiled at the thought of celebrating his and Madison’s engagement.