From a Wrong Turn to Mr. Right novel Chapter 75

Adelina Lane leaned back against the kitchen counter, her arms crossed and a sly smile on her face. “We already got the marriage license, you know. Ethan’s bringing her folks over in a couple days to meet the family.”

Lance Carter’s jaw nearly dropped. “You’re kidding me. And when were you planning on telling me about this?”

Adelina shrugged, feigning innocence. “Maybe I told you in a dream?”

Lance rolled his eyes. “Ha. Very funny.”

He cleared his throat, finally piecing things together. “No wonder Ethan’s been acting weird lately.”

Adelina shot him a look, a frown creasing her brow. “Has Aileen seemed upset or anything?”

Lance thought for a second. “No, not really. Actually, when she heard I’d bought you something, she wanted to get you a little something too. I only bought you those two cupcakes because I saw they picked some up for you first.”

Adelina relaxed a bit. “That’s good. You know, you can’t just ignore her. What if Aileen thinks you’ve got something against her?”

That gave Lance pause. He shook his head after a moment. “I doubt it. I mean, I didn’t ignore her, I was polite. Aileen’s been glued to Ethan’s side, just a little shy, but she seems alright.”

Adelina nodded, reassured. “Well, this weekend Ethan’s bringing everyone over. You better be on your best behavior.”

Now that he’d been brought up to speed, Lance felt more at ease. He nodded. “Got it. Does Mom know about all this?”

Adelina shook her head, her voice softening. “Not yet. She’s barely out of the hospital, still resting most days. I’m afraid she’ll get too worked up if I tell her now. I’ll wait a few days and bring it up gently.”

Lance didn’t argue. He knew his own mother well—if she found out, she’d probably forget about her health and rush right over.

With the air cleared, Lance slouched back on the living room sofa, a grin spreading across his face. “You know, Ethan always seemed so reserved. But when he’s around Aileen, he’s so protective. You should see the way he looks at her—reminds me of myself, back in the day.”

Adelina gave him a look, unimpressed with his self-congratulation. “You think your son’s a fool?”

Lance’s eyes sparkled. “Are you trying to build suspense?”

Adelina shot him a cold look but didn’t really expect him to guess. She sighed. “I went to visit Aileen at her office today.”

“You met her?”

Adelina hesitated, her tone a little sheepish. “I snuck in, didn’t tell her who I was. Just wanted to see her from afar. But then I noticed—Aileen’s pregnant.”

Lance stared at her, stunned, before his mouth finally caught up. “Wait. She’s pregnant?”

Adelina nodded, looking troubled. “I had the chef make her some chicken soup to take over. Honestly, I don’t know what I was thinking, sneaking around like that. I should’ve just introduced myself, been open with her. Now, I’m worried I’ll scare her if I come clean.”

Even Lance, who’d weathered his share of storms, needed a moment to process. He blinked, then spoke carefully. “Maybe it’s best to let Ethan introduce you guys officially.”