Free Unchosen (Chosen #2) by Alisa Mullen

asked. “Do you want me to beat them both up or should you take Drew and I’ll take Caroline?” He chuckled and gave me a wink.
    “No, no. Although, I like your thinking, Lizzie, I think we should just keep the peace and get them home,” he said, still watching them groping each other.
    I blew out a big whistle with my fingers and teeth and announced it was time to go. Nick jumped in the driver’s seat and started the car. The two lovebirds nearly fell off the hood and crawled into the back. I took shotgun, for Nick’s sake, of course. After listening to Caroline’s moans for a few minutes and realizing they were going at it again, I started riffling through the CDs in the front seat.
    I looked over to Nick who was holding the steering wheel with white knuckles. I softly put my hand over his and said, “It’s okay. It is her loss.” He visibly relaxed at my touch. “I am not worried about Caroline. I feel bad you have to be here to see them,” he replied. Shrugging, I threw in David Gray by habit and as “Babylon” started, I stiffened. What the fucking hell was I thinking? Nick started singing along and looked at me with a grin. “Good album,” he said.
    “Hmm. Yes, it is,” I said quietly as I sat back in my seat and looked out the window. I swear the moment I think the past is the past, Teagan’s image slams back into my brain. Nick noticed.
    “Hey, you okay?” he asked. I shook my head and for appearances sake, I started singing along, too. At least, the music drowned out the sounds of foreplay in the back. This music would never drown out my memories. Music only makes memories, some wonderful and some painful. If I could do it all over again with Teagan, which I probably would, I would have made us listen to obsolete one hit wonders that weren’t sold anywhere and never played on any radio station.
    An hour later, we pulled up to my apartment and Nick looked up to see the building. I turned around to see Drew and Caroline basically in a comatose state. “Where are you going to take them?” I asked with alarm. Drew couldn’t drive home, I thought, analyzing the driving situation. Did Nick already have a solution in his head about what to do with these two?
    “I am going to take them to my place. Caroline still lives with her family and I am not letting Drew drive,” he said, looking resolved.
    “You can’t do that!” I exclaimed. I thought about my apartment. I had a sectional couch and a blow up mattress for camping. The two shit heads in the back could take the sectional and Nick could go home alone.
    I relayed my idea to him. “They are not your problem, Lizzie,” he said, shaking his head in earnest.
    “Okay, well, you can stay, too. It is not a big place, though. Once you guys get up, you can take them home and then this whole disaster will be over for good. Wash your hands of it, Nick. Seriously, you don’t want this bullshit in your life.” My brilliant confidence was shining through.
    I held up a finger. “However, tomorrow will be the first time I have slept past 6:00am in almost five months so you guys have to be super quiet,” I said, tamping down my uneasiness at this new arrangement. Nick sat back and thought about it. I didn’t. I grabbed the keys out of the ignition and climbed out of the car to open the back door.
    “Okay, love birds. Time for bed.” I squared my shoulders, ready for battle. How many times in my life had I literally carried people to their sleeping spot? Drew and Caroline both looked up and smiled.
    “Lizzie,” they both sang at once. I rolled my eyes.”Where were you? We love you.” I flashed them a quick smile. This was going to go better than I thought.
    “Can you walk?” Please, please, say you can walk. Nick was on the other side of the car pulling Caroline out of her seat.
    “You were my blind date,” Drew said as he stood up and tried to unsuccessfully nuzzle into my neck. Nick scowled from around the other side of the car. He studied