Arranged •{ONC 2020}•

《 Chapter Three 》

The owner of the shirt sleeve stopped moving and turned just in time to keep Ashlynn from crumpling to the ground. She couldn't make out their face through the stars and fog, but she saw their lips moving and felt their arms supporting her. Within seconds, they had carried her out of the swirling mass of dancers and over to an empty booth.

She could smell cologne—Calvin Klein. Something cold pressed against her forehead and brushed against her cheek. A masculine voice cut through the haze of her mind, "Can someone get me a glass of water?"

Ashlynn opened her eyes and groaned. Her entire body felt like it was on fire, and everything was swimming before her eyes. Everything but a pair of unnervingly familiar blue eyes that were fixated on hers and clouded with worry. She knew those eyes, but with all the alcohol and heat coursing through her body, she couldn't remember who they belonged to. Or, maybe, she just didn't want to.

"Ash? Ash, are you okay?" Cassidy's voice sounded distant, even though she had run up to them and was standing barely a foot away from her. Ashlynn didn't respond; the blue eyes had her full attention.

The man blinked, breaking his stare. He turned and said something to Cassidy before disappearing into the hazy background. Hana tottered past him, a wet cloth and glass of water in her hands. She started talking and gave the glass to Ashlynn, who drank it slowly.

The world was still muffled and spinning around her, but she couldn't stop thinking of those blue eyes. She felt her friends help her stand and walk her out to the car. She was dimly aware of them helping her into her seat and telling Arnold to take them home. The only thing in her mind that was clear was the pair of blue eyes, staring right at hers in the club.

Ashlynn couldn't shake the image of them from her mind, even after they got home and her friends helped her into bed. It was like they had permanently etched themselves into her brain. Even as she was drifting off, she saw them clear as day looking back at her.

Needless to say, her dreams that night were very blue. And this time, Ashlynn didn't have a single complaint.

《♡》

Ashlynn woke with a splitting headache and a churning stomach. She was barely able to scramble to her private bathroom before emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Last night was hazy; she remembered going out to the dance floor and then her mind drew a blank. Something had happened—the nagging feeling at the back of her mind wouldn't go away.

While taking a much-needed shower, Ashlynn went over the past few days in her mind. Saturday had been awful; way too many people attended the funeral and shared their faux sympathy with Ashlynn. Local journalists had swarmed her afterwards, asking about what her plans were for the company. She responded with the only thing she could: "No comment." At least she knew they hadn't heard anything about the marriage requirement—yet. But, if Aunt Leah had her way, it would be making headlines by the end of the week.

Oh, that's today. Aunt Leah was going to start picking out potential husbands for her today. Wonderful. Thinking of that only made her headache worse.

After drying off, brushing her teeth, taking the medicine María left for her on her nightstand, and slipping into comfy joggers and a hoodie, Ashlynn made her way downstairs. The watch on her wrist read 11:17 am. She hoped there was some breakfast left over.

There wasn't.

The kitchen had long been cleaned; an empty coffee mug sat on the counter. And a pack of cinnamon sugar toaster strudels. The rest of the counters were spotless and bare.

Ashlynn sighed and started making a cup of coffee. If she was going to be meeting her aunt's top picks today, she needed to be awake. She raided the fridge and found a bag of cooked bacon. Bacon and coffee in hand, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders like a cape, and the strudel pack dangling between her teeth, Ashlynn made her way to the living room.

Laughter and voices—one belonging to Aunt Leah and several masculine tones—rang through the hallway. Ashlynn froze in her tracks. She hadn't planned on her aunt having them over so early. Luckily, they hadn't heard her approaching. She grinned to herself, nearly dropping the strudels in the process, and started tiptoeing backwards.

"Ah, chica, you're finally awake! Are you feeling any better?"

Ashlynn winced as María's voice echoed in the hall—and her skull—and the laughter from the living room died down. So much for making an escape. "Kind of. Fanks for de meds."

María took one look at Ashlynn and shook her head. "This is how you were going to greet them? With crocs on your feet and strudels in your mouth? I thought I raised you better than this."

Aunt Leah stuck her head into the hallway. "There you are, Ash. I have some promising young men I would like for you to meet."

"Like dif?" Ashlynn raised her eyebrow and looked down at her outfit. Even she knew that it was important to dress up when meeting potential mates.

Her great aunt waved her hand nonchalantly. "These poor boys need to know what they're getting into. Besides, if they like you when you look like this, I think you'll be set for life."

Ashlynn cast a glance at María and shrugged before following her great aunt into the living room. Five boys sat in armchairs and couches around the fireplace, their eyes following her as she made her grand entrance. Ever the dramatist, she walked steadily and kept her eyes glued to the walls in front of her, refusing to look at any of them. With any luck, her sloppy appearance and apathy would scare them off.

It didn't. At least, not all of them. Two looked away from her almost immediately and two were watching but seemed disinterested. However, the fifth kept his eyes on her, even after she plopped down on the couch opposite him.

She could feel his gaze but didn't lift her eyes from the food in her hands. Setting her coffee mug on the end table, she tucked up her knees and made herself comfortable. The silence in the room was broken only by the crinkling of the strudel pack as she ripped it open and bit into the strudels. Both of them. At once. That'll be a turn off.

Aunt Leah cleared her throat and resumed her spot on the couch, taking a seat next to Ashlynn. "This is my great niece, Ashlynn Jeanne Whittaker." She waited until after Ashlynn had mumbled a greeting through her mouthful of strudel, which sent crumbs flying everywhere, before continuing, "I would have had her tidy up a bit before meeting you, but there's no sense in trying to hide things from you. After all, you will be living here for the next six months and will have to grow quite comfortable with one another.

"Anyways, let's move on to introductions. I have not told Ashlynn anything about any of you fine gentlemen yet, so please include any information about yourselves that you feel is important! Danny, will you start us off?"

"Of course," a young man seated to Aunt Leah's immediate right nodded his head. Ashlynn reluctantly looked at him when he spoke. "Hello, Miss Whittaker. I am Daniel..."

Ashlynn zoned out while he talked. She was thinking about having tacos for supper.

The next man introduced himself as Newt something. She adjusted her focus and resumed her thoughts. Maybe she'd rather have pasta; lasagna sounded really good.

The cycle continued; Ashlynn would listen long enough to hear the disinterest in their voice and then go back to debating her supper menu. It wasn't until the last man that she actually listened.

"I'm sure you don't remember me, but we went to elementary school together." At that, her interests were piqued, and she took a good look at the man. She almost dropped her strudel when she found herself staring at a pair of striking blue eyes. Now she remembered what had happened last night, and this time she was alert enough to remember the name of the boy to whom the eyes belonged.

Her stomach churned violently, and she desperately wanted to flee the room, but her body was frozen solid in shock. Dread crept over her as he smiled warmly and continued, seemingly not noticing her extreme discomfort.

"I'm Wesley Marker. It's nice to see you again, Ash."