Summer of Second Chances - Andrea Hurst Page 0,111
few days had passed since Logan’s eighteenth birthday party and so much had happened since. The night Shelby had come home early, she had waited up for Alice to get home from the movies with Theo. Her grandmother had seemed so happy, she hated to tell her about Anthony DeLuca’s harrowing experience. Alice and Shelby had stayed up talking into the night and finally gone to sleep. Mutt whined at the front door but eventually curled up with Scarlett and went to sleep. But Shelby hadn't heard anything or seen anyone leave Logan’s house. She'd been working a lot, so she hadn't been home every minute to watch. It would be good to know.
There had been no word from Logan. Finally she received a text from him.
Done working at 3:00. Can pick you up. Let’s go for a drive and I'll fill you in on everything.
Shelby felt a wave of relief wash over her. She hadn’t wanted to interfere, but of course, Logan’s lack of communication had made her worry more. At least there hadn’t been any more calls from her mother, either. Joann had contacted the high school and all was clear for Shelby to enroll as soon as she had a signed document from Dana.
At three o’clock, she walked outside to meet Logan in front of her house. He pulled up in his parent’s silver Lexus LX SUV and stepped out to open the passenger door for her. His face looked pale despite his tan, but his smile was still there when he saw her.
The car was more luxurious than anything Shelby had ever ridden in before. The seats were a blue-gray leather that still smelled new. The steering wheel and part of the dashboard were a deep red, setting off all the dials and buttons. A map of the lake was displayed on a screen in front of them.
"You ready?” he asked after they fastened their seatbelts.
Logan turned on the A/C and drove through town, passing the Coffee Magic shop and town grocery store until they reached the road that circled the lake to the north. To their left were oaks and madrone trees scattered across the hills that were now covered in wild poppies. The lake shimmered to their right and was dotted with boats.
"It's been a long couple of days," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner."
"No problem," Shelby said. "I didn't expect you to, but I have been worried."
"Everything was crazy. My dad is physically fine, but he was emotionally traumatized. I've never seen him that way.”
She waited for him to elaborate when he was ready. The road before them began to climb in altitude. The trees were changing to fir and lush ferns that grew in the shade. SUMMIT LOOKOUT 2 MILES, a sign said.
“I’m going to pull over here,” Logan said. “The view is awesome.”
They were the only car in the small parking lot. Together they walked over to the edge of the viewing area. Forests in all shades of green and rolling mountains surrounded the massive lake below. “Breathtaking,” Shelby said. “You can see everything.”
“I’ve been wanting to bring you up here. I’m glad we made it.”
They took a seat on a bench and sat in silence as the sun worked its way across the sky. Perched on a cliff in the higher altitude, the lake valley looked like a painting in the distance. For a moment Shelby felt vertigo as she looked below, and it underlined the terror Logan’s father must have felt as the plane went down.
Logan seemed in a trance as he told the story. “I still can’t believe it happened. They were on their way to the San Juan Islands in Washington State. My dad said the pilot was experienced and when they’d left Seattle the skies were clear. But thick fog rolled in as they crossed the Sound. Zero visibility, the pilot said.”
“How scary,” Shelby said.
Logan nodded. “Are you sure you want to hear this?”
“Of course,” she said, moving closer to him for support.
Logan continued in a low voice. “My dad noticed the pilot panicking and knew they were in trouble. Their air speed was over a hundred knots. Then a pocket opened up and my dad saw the water about forty feet below them. The impact was brutal,” he said. “But the worst thing was the cabin started filling with water.”
Shelby could imagine the horrifying scene. She could hardly believe anyone survived.
“He must have been in shock,” Shelby said. “I would be.”