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He was so tired.
So very tired.
Lane barely noticed the numbing cold. He was starting to think they were never going to get him out of there. Both of the Jaws of Life used simultaneously on either side of him weren’t enough to budge the rocks.
He listened as the men around him threw around ideas, and for one reason or another shot down idea after idea. He wanted to call out an idea, but he had none. At the moment, he was bracing for another wave. Each time they hit, they took a lot out of him.
And he missed Jo. He had wanted her to stay, but it was too dangerous. He was just thankful it was him in this predicament and not her. Although, he sensed she wasn’t far away. It gave him the strength to deal with the rising water as it climbed up his legs.
He didn’t know how much time went by when Ethan said, “We’re going to tie two large straps around this rock and pull. But we need a vehicle powerful enough to pull the rock.”
“What about the fire engine?” someone called out.
“I thought of that,” Ethan said, “but I’m afraid it’s too heavy to put on the soft sand.”
“I know,” Kent said. “We have the moving truck at the furniture store.”
“Good idea,” Ethan said. Go get it and pull it onto the sand by the pier.”
“Got it.” Kent turned to Lane. “Hang in there. I’ll be right back, and we’ll get you out of there.”
Lane nodded. He wasn’t so sure it was going to work. Although at the moment, it was the only viable option.
He could still sense Jo’s presence. He wanted to tell her to go home and warm up, but he knew it was pointless. She could be so stubborn. It was one of the things he loved about her.
The breath stilled in his lungs. The word startled him. He’d never said he loved anyone—except his mother.
Life was so much easier without messy emotions. He’d loved two people in his life—two people he should have been able to trust most of all—they’d both let him down in the worst ways. The thought of opening himself up to someone else—of being that vulnerable—had the protective walls going up around him.
He assured himself that he had nothing to worry about. After all, he didn’t mean it the way it sounded. There was no way he was in love with Jo. None whatsoever.
Someone was climbing the hill.
Maybe there was news.
Josie moved to intercept the person and found it was Kent. “What’s going on?”
He turned to their father. “We need the moving van. We’re going to hook tow lines to it and move the rock.”
“Good idea.” Her father reached for the keys.
When he tossed the keys in the air, Josie grabbed them. “I’m going to get it.”
“Josie,” her brother started in a disapproving tone.
She frowned at him. Didn’t he understand that she needed to help? “I don’t have time to argue with you.”
“Josie, have one of the firefighters drive you,” her father said. “And then meet me at the pier. It’s going to take some maneuvering to get the truck onto the sand.”
Josie nodded and then took off at a run. She didn’t see any firefighters around, but she did see her brother Owen’s cart. She took it and drove as fast as she dared across town to the furniture store.
Leaving the cart in front of the store, she moved to the moving van. It immediately started up. She put it in gear and pressed the accelerator. In her haste, she pressed too hard, jerking herself almost out of the seat.
There were a number of surprised looks from Bluestar residents as she made her way out of town. Everyone knew it was long past business hours. She knew the rumor mill would soon answer their questions.
Josie headed north. Even though the ride was short, to her it felt like forever. When she arrived at the pier, her father was there as well as Kent. They’d already checked the sand and felt it was best to back the truck onto the beach. With high tide, there wasn’t much room on the packed sand to turn around. And they didn’t want to get stuck in the soft sand.
After she assured them that she could manage the truck in reverse, her father directed her from the left while Kent guided her in the dark from the right. It took all three of them to navigate the vegetation and rocks.
