CHAPTER EIGHT

"Where are we going today?"

“Somewhere," Blake smiled as he drove carefully down one of the dirt roads at the back end of their small town. He hadn't told Josie anything. Instead, he had managed to talk her into getting into the truck with nothing more than a picnic basket that she had packed and a blanket he had packed.

Though he also hadn't mentioned he had been up far earlier and already down that way. Josie could tell he was proud of himself for whatever this date would turn out to be.

"You know, you not telling me isn't fun."

"It might not be fun right this minute, but it's going to be fun,” he chatted and winked at her playfully.

"That isn't very fair."

"Neither is me ruining the surprise,” he purred and took yet another turn.

"It looks like we're following snake paths."

"We might be, but that's how you find the most interesting things."

"Oh really?"

"Didn't you ever explore as a kid?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, but..."

"I'm pretty sure we agreed we aren't adults any more when we're on dates, or at least we did when we went to the stables."

"Oh? That still applies?" she asked with a soft giggle falling passed her lips.

"Yep, still applies. Be childish with me."

"You're driving!”

"Bah..."

"Now you're a sheep! That's nice,” Josie rolled her eyes dramatically as she looked out the window.

“Look who's being a party pooper! I guess that's fine, the kids in school were on a tangent about there being an outbreak of cooties. You might have one."

“Nuhuh, aren't you teaching high school?"

"I am, but I guess cooties are a thing again?"

“Wow," she could not help but laugh and then reached over, lightly brushing her fingertips against his arm.

"Hey, hey! I am driving! Do not give me cooties while I'm driving!"

"I think you'll like my cooties though!" Josie pouted.

“Nuhuh, girl’s cooties are yucky,” Blake said, visibly struggling to keep a straight face.

Josie just burst into laughter while he smiled along beside her and pulled up to park. He got out, helped her out, and grabbed the blanket and the basket. He then led her down a path. She had a little trouble navigating on a path that wasn't well worn.

"Almost there,” he promised.

"Alright... Alright..." she grumbled, though she was excited. Every inch of her body was alight with anticipation and pure excitement. She could feel her heart in her throat, wondering what he had planned for way out here.

"Just a few more... steps,” he murmured, helping her over a fallen log.

"Wow... this place is so... secluded..."

“Mm hmm, and quiet,” he said softly. "No town noise... just us."

"It's kind of nice."

"Kind of?"

"Yeah, kind of. I might get a little antsy out here with it being so..." she stopped talking as they came to a small clearing that opened to a small lake. She looked around and then looked back at him.

"What?"

"For as long as I have lived here, I did not know this existed."

"Not many people do. It's okay though,; It's a great spot for fishing,” he smiled.

"I don't know how to fish!”

"I'm going to teach you."

"Why?" she arched her brow.

"It's something nice and quiet we can do together. Way out here in the middle of nowhere."

"I see, but what if I don't like it?"

"Then you can say I didn't give you the opportunity?" he chuckled.

She frowned and looked at the water, “but we don't have any fishing supplies.”

"Yes we do,” he said and set the picnic basket and blanket down before walking over to a stump and pulling out the tackle box hidden next to the stump and two fishing poles.

"You just—you’ve been here already this morning or you left those here a while ago? That's how secluded we are?"

"Little bit of both,” he chuckled a little and pointed to the edge of the water.

"You want me to go stand over there and fish with you,” she wrinkled her nose.

"Why are you wrinkling your nose?"

"I don't want to put a worm on a hook."

"It's not as bad as it sounds,” he said as he walked passed her and set the tackle box down.

She wrinkled her nose still but followed him and let him show her what to do.

It took her a few times to officially get the hang of putting the worm on the hook, but eventually she got there without cringing or freaking out. The next step was learning how to cast.

"This part is a little harder, because this isn't a push button thing,” Each step felt like a puzzle she had to solve and each step made her feel more and more frustrated. She tried to cast the way he did but he obviously had a lot more practice than she did.

"Try this,” he offered, standing close behind her as he drew her arm back, his much larger one resting on her wrist as he helped her move to cast out far enough.

"Did I do that?"

"Most of it,” he smiled softly and kissed her cheek before he went back to his own fishing pole.

"This part isn't that bad, but don't we have to reel it in at some point?"

"Yes, you could probably very slowly start reeling now. It won't hurt anything,” he said.

"What does that do?"

"It makes it so the fish see the worm and hook moving a little bit."

"How often do you do this?"

"Not as often as I would like. I mean, I get to take you out on dates, that's usually the priority lately."

“Lately!"

"Lately, and it was the school that was my priority before. I mean, everything is kind of stressful occasionally and coming out here is very calming. It takes a lot of the edge off, you know?"

"I'm glad this is comforting to you, but I'm afraid of what will happen if I actually catch a fish."

"We'll look at it, take a picture of you holding it real quick and then release it back into the water."

"I have to touch it?"

"Yep, and give it a little kiss."

"Ew... people kiss the fish they catch?"

"Only the first catch of the day, or the biggest catch."

"That's... ew..."

"How about this. We'll see how many fish we catch, and the one with the biggest fish doesn't have to kiss it?" he smiled in his usual playful manner.

"You really want to go that route?"

"Yep, and the last fish we catch is the fish we have to kiss."

"That's still gross... but alright,” she said.

They caught a few fish throughout the day, though none of them were very big. The biggest fish was probably a seven-inch baby. Though Blake did not seem to mind as he kissed his fish and released it into the water.

“Gross!" Josie giggled.

"Now then, come give me a kiss,” Blake smirked playfully. He laughed when he saw the look of pure horror across her face.

“No!"

"Why not?"

"You have fish cooties,” she blinked. Looking almost serious before cracking a smile.

"I have... I have fish cooties?"

“Yes! Yes, you do, now stay away!" she laughed and started to back up slowly.

"Oh no, I have... I have the strange compulsion to share these fish cooties... wait until I tell the students I caught fish cooties!" he laughed and started to slowly step toward her.

"Don't you dare kiss me with that fishy mouth..."

"I think I'm going to,” he chuckled.

"I'm not going to let that happen!" she squealed and turned to run back to the blanket. "The basket is safe!" she called, remembering how there was always a 'safe' when she was playing as a child.

"Oh, that's no fair! You didn't say that to start with!"

"Wash your mouth Mister or no treats."

"Treats?"

"I might have tried to bake something,” she blurted.

"Tried?"

"I'm not the best with it."

“Uh huh..."

"That doesn't mean our next date is a cooking one."

"It might be, though. The fastest way to a women’s heart is through her stomach,” he smiled sweetly.