Divine Phoenix(Divine Creek Ranch 10)(102)

LuAnn struggled to her feet and sprinted for the house, the Doppler effect of the shrieking sound traveling with her. “Aaaaaahhhhh!”

“Holy shit, I’m so sorry!” He slapped both hands over his ears, and Lily cringed as the pitch of LuAnn’s piercing scream rose even higher as she ran for the house. The rodeo clown’s face went blank as he watched LuAnn, which gave the gaping mouth and wide eyes of his clown makeup an even more humorous, yet vacant look.

“Maynard!” Grace gasped out a second before Margot shot poor Maynard full in the face with the water blaster that had been floating in the pool. He jumped like he’d been Tased and slapped his hands back over his eyes.

On dripping feet, LuAnn ran up the stairs, took one step on the porch, and her feet shot out from under her. She landed square on her ass, cutting off her scream, before hitting her head on the concrete, which evidently dazed her.

At the abrupt change, Maynard peeked and one second later was running at full speed across the backyard. Teresa followed, and all the women took the opportunity to climb en masse from the pool and hurriedly grab the beach towels Grace had put out for them.

Lily took a towel for LuAnn and ran for the porch. Her aching leg muscles protested the exertion.

“Careful on the concrete! Don’t slip!” Grace called out.

Lily climbed the steps carefully and quickly covered LuAnn’s nudity while Maynard examined her head.

“She’s got a good lump forming. Grace, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t see. I didn’t realize when I came through the gate what y’all were doing at first. Jack is gonna kill me!”

Grace crouched down beside them. “Nonsense. Did you just get back from the rodeo?”

“Yes. My truck wouldn’t start and I forgot the bag with my other clothes in it at the bunkhouse, so I had to come back to the ranch like this.” He pointed at himself in a roundabout way. Maynard never took his eyes off LuAnn the whole time, seeming entranced by her, or maybe it was her near nudity.

LuAnn moaned, and Grace asked, “LuAnn? Are you all right?”

Suddenly tensing as though electrocuted, LuAnn screamed, “Get him away! Get away!” She looked up into poor Maynard’s painted face and shrieked hysterically. Lily felt bad for poor Maynard the rodeo clown because his concern for LuAnn was so obvious.

Grace gave Maynard an apologetic look, and he nodded. “I’d better get out of here. Please tell her I’m sorry when she recovers.” He stood and grimaced when LuAnn quivered and turned away from the sight of him, cowering in abject fear. Lily patted LuAnn’s shoulder as she held on to Grace with a death grip and Maynard stepped back.

He walked away, looking rather downhearted, every step accompanied by a flatulent Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! as he pulled his cowboy hat and fuzzy orange wig from his head, revealing a jet-black crew cut with silver at the temples and sideburns.

Lily glanced at Maya, and Maya stuck her lower lip out and whispered, “Poor Maynard the rodeo clown. He looks sad.”

“Wonder what he looks like under all that makeup and that goofy getup,” Rosemary whispered.

Grace rolled her eyes and grinned. “Okay, LuAnn. Let’s get you into a chair, honey.”

“Is he gone?” LuAnn gasped as she clutched the towel to her chest.

Blocking LuAnn’s view of Maynard as he exited the way he’d come in, Lily reassured her. “He’s leaving.”

Grace murmured, “He said to tell you he was sorry.” They helped her into one of the patio chairs, and someone handed over another towel for her. In a matter of seconds she was wrapped up and her shoulders covered. “He’s Jack’s cousin, Maynard Goodwin. He’s a rodeo clown.”

LuAnn shuddered noticeably at the word, and Lily understood immediately. “LuAnn, are you afraid of clowns?”

LuAnn’s cheeks blushed a dark shade of red. “Yes. It’s totally irrational, I know. I’m terrified of them. All of them.”

The shame in her voice burned Lily’s soul because she understood. “Have you ever heard of astraphobia?”

“No.” LuAnn wiped the tears from her face and sniffed as she made eye contact with Lily.

“I have astraphobia. It’s the fear of thunder and lightning. Just ask Clay and he’ll tell you. I understand how irrational it is, but it’s very real to you when it happens.” Glancing over her shoulder at the closed gate, she added, “He’s gone now. It’s okay.”

LuAnn hid her face in her hands. “That poor man must think I’m a lunatic. That hasn’t happened since I was a little girl. I’m careful to avoid places where clowns might be. I’m so embarrassed! We were all having a good time and Ow! My head!” she groaned as she felt the knot on the back of her head.