Page 128 of Not That Complicated

“Ray?” Adam said. “What’s going on? Why are they shouting?”

“Shh, it’s nothing. They’re arseholes. Leave them to it.” I shifted a bit, shoving a hand into my back pocket to get my phone.

Adam gazed up at me, eyes dark. “Did I faint?”

“Only a little, it’s fine.”

“I’ve never fainted before.”

“It’s a startling thing. Seeing a face where you don’t expect it. You’ll get used to it.”

Adam was rallying. “I don’t want to get used to it, thanks. I was less startled by the face and more by the fact it’s a clown,” he said. “I fucking hate clowns.”

The digger had broken right through the tub. You couldn’t see all of the body, but you could see enough to tell that it was dressed as a clown.

This wasn’t a happy, smiling, kids party clown’s costume, either. This was a creepy, late 1800s-style carnival clown in a striped onesie, pointy little shoes with ruffles on, and a chalky white makeup job with red circles on his cheeks. Any minute now, Dad was going to notice that it looked Victorian, and then he’d really kick off.

I was inappropriately delighted at Adam’s confession. “Are you scared of clowns?”

He scrambled to his feet. “No.”

He kept me between the trench and him, though, I couldn’t help but notice. “You are. You are scared of clowns! You cliché!”

Adam looked down his nose at me. “I am not scared of anything and you know it.”

“Okay. Stay right there. I’m going to call Liam.”

Adam’s eyes widened and he lunged to keep me between him and the clown when I moved.

I grinned at him.

He glared, put his shoulders back, and stalked over to me. Ioofeda little when he wound an arm around my waist, pulled me in close, and deliberately arranged us with him between me and the dead-clown doll. He paled, but was determined.

“Are you protecting me from the clown?” I said.

“Yes.” He was trembling. “I couldn’t be there for you the last two times. I’m here for you now. I’ll always be here for you.”

“That is the most romantic thing you’ve ever done for me.”

He smiled down at me in that intense, focused way he had, the way that stirred up the ever-glowing embers of my desire for him. Which felt inappropriate, to be honest. One, dead guy dressed up as a clown. Two, my Dad was right there.

“Look at what this guy’s wearing,” Marley said in a thoughtful tone of voice. “I can’t quite put my finger on the period. What do you think, Chris? Victorian?”

Marley was a bastard. Heknewwhat would happen next.

“Let’s take this inside,” I said, grabbing Adam’s hand. “Come on, quickly, before Dad loses his shit.”

“What?” Dad was saying. “Fucking Victorians.”

Adam and I fast-walked for the back door.

“Ray!” Dad yelled behind me. “Raymond! The killer was a Victorian. What the fuck was wrong with those fuckers?”

As soon as we made it into the kitchen, I called Liam. Another doll.

He was going to love this.

?

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