A Desperate Charade

Hazel

What the hell have I done?

"Oh, my Hazel! I thought you said you wanted to wait till the end of the gala?" Maeve beams, clutching my hands like she’s holding onto the best gossip of her life.

I blink at her, dazed. Yeah, I thought so too. I thought I’d wait. I thought I’d breathe. I thought— God, how did it happen?

Whose fault is it? We all know.

"Look how happy you made Gael," she adds, poi