From a Wrong Turn to Mr. Right novel Chapter 12

Olivia Bennett pressed her lips together, feeling how dry they were. Before she could say anything, Ethan Carter’s voice cut in, “You hungry?”

She nodded honestly.

She’d barely eaten all day, running from place to place, and now her stomach was really making itself known.

Ethan nodded, “Take a breather. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

She nodded again, almost out of habit, only snapping back to reality as his tall figure disappeared into the kitchen.

Wait… was he going to cook?

Olivia was genuinely surprised. She never would’ve guessed that Ethan Carter—Mr. Golden Boy himself—knew his way around a kitchen.

Guys like him, she thought, probably never even made their own coffee.

She couldn’t help it; her impression of him shifted yet again.

Once the shock wore off, Olivia took a look around the room. Everything was spotless, organized to perfection—books lined up on the shelf, not a single jacket slung over a chair. You could tell right away: whoever lived here was all about discipline and self-control.

Getting comfortable, she opened her suitcase and started unpacking. Toiletries went in the bathroom, her few sets of clothes into the wardrobe. She hadn’t brought much with her, so it only took a minute.

She sank down onto the sofa, pressing a hand to her stomach and letting out a long sigh.

Her studio was gone. She’d thought she’d just drift through life, day by day.

But now, because of the tiny life growing inside her, everything felt different. Hopeful, even. That feeling had already pushed aside all the anger Daniel Gill had left behind.

When she came downstairs, Ethan was just setting the last dish on the dining table. He looked up and nodded toward a chair. “Didn’t have much time, so I kept it simple.”

There were two dishes and a steaming bowl of soup. Everything looked surprisingly good.

Olivia grinned, genuinely impressed. “Simple? This looks pretty fancy to me.”

Just the fact that he’d cooked at all was amazing. The fact that it looked appetizing? A total bonus.

Ethan scooped her some mashed potatoes, ladled out a bowl of chicken noodle soup, and handed her a fork.

“Thanks,” she said, taking a bite of roast chicken. But as soon as the savory smell hit her, her stomach lurched violently.

“…”

Well, fair point.

Olivia found herself rubbing her belly, mentally echoing Ethan’s words.

Be good, little one. Let mom eat, so you can grow up strong…

Back at the table, she skipped the chicken and started with the soup instead, sipping it slowly. Thankfully, this time her stomach stayed calm, and she managed to finish a small bowl of mashed potatoes and veggies without any trouble.

After the meal, Ethan insisted on doing the dishes and told Olivia to get some rest.

She curled up on the living room sofa, letting her gaze wander around the tidy room. At first, she felt wide awake, but soon her eyelids grew heavy.

When Ethan came back out, he found Olivia dozing on the couch, hands cuddled protectively around her belly. The weather was already getting chilly—fall was right around the corner—and she’d fallen asleep without a blanket.

The sofa was too small for comfort, and Olivia looked like she might roll off if she turned over.

Ethan walked over, bent down, and gently scooped her up in his arms.