Country Love

Chapter Twelve

"I'm not touching that." Isabelle said matter-of-factly

"Why not?" Bradley asked fighting back a smile and doing his best to look irritated.

"Because it's disgusting." Isabelle said putting her hands on her hips.

"Don't say that. You'll hurt his feelings." Bradley said looking down at the fat earthworm wriggling around in his hand.

"I didn't realize you were such a smart a…. butt." Isabelle replied. Bradley laughed and his green eyes glittered in the sunlight.

"Come on, just take the worm." he said. Isabelle shook her head.

"I see no good reason why I should touch that thing."

"It's the bait, sweetheart. You need it to fish." he replied. She gave him a look that let him know she was not about to touch the worm and he chuckled.

"Ok fine then. Here you go, Princess Sara." he said holding the worm out toward Sara who jumped back and shook her head.

"No way. It's disgusting." she said changing her posture to match her mothers. Bradley looked back and forth between the two of them noting the similarities. They both had the same stubborn chin, the same blue eyes and the same light freckles on their tiny noses. And they were both looking at him like he was the craziest person they had ever seen as he dangled the worm in the air.

"Fine, I'll just fish by myself then." Bradley said sticking out his bottom lip and turning away sadly. Isabelle couldn't help but laugh.

"Fake pouting is not going to work on me. I have a kid." she said matter-of-factly.

"I don't like fishing." Sara said. Isabelle looked down at her daughter and sighed. For some reason or another this was important to Bradley. He really wanted she and Sara to enjoy this with him and Isabelle knew the only reason Sara wasn't was because she was trying to act like her mommy. Sara had always been that way. Whatever Isabelle did was what Sara tried to do. Isabelle didn't want to hold her daughter back from having fun so if touching that nasty, god forsaken, slimy, poop filled worm is what it took to teach her daughter to try new things then that is what Isabelle was going to do.

"Give me the worm." she said holding out her hand. Bradley turned back to her and she couldn't help but smile when she saw the goofy, boyish grin on his face.

"Really?" he asked. She nodded but cringed when he held the worm out to her. She could tell he was about to laugh so she stuck her finger into his chest.

"Don't you laugh at me Bradley or I'll make you eat the darn thing." she warned.

"Yuck." Sara said making a face.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I don't mean to laugh. You are just so damn cute." Isabelle blushed and bit her lip. God it was impossible for her to be mad at this man. Isabelle wrinkled her nose as he placed the worm in her hand.

"Now what?" she asked fighting back the urge to gag. Bradley grabbed the brand new pole he had bought just for her and held out the hook at the end of the line.

"Put him on the hook." he said matter of factly. Isabelle's eyes widened.

"You want me to stab him with that thing?" she demanded. Bradley started to laugh but she shoved the worm toward his mouth so he clamped it shut and kept it that way until the urge to laugh had passed.

"You have to put him on the hook. That way when the fish bite him they get caught on the hook." he explained calmly.

"I don't want to hurt him!" Isabelle said horrified at the thought of shoving that hook through the worm in her hand.