Cowgirl Up ✔️

Chapter Twenty Five

The sky was a little cloudy for late February.
All the animal's had their breakfast, including River who'd been able to move to a yard a couple of yard's down from Paint, but still close to the round yard so Blayze could continue to work him.
Blayze was able to halter him now and was gradually beginning to touch some of his wound's to clean them, without sedation required.
The little guy's wound's were healing remarkably, thanks to the oil's and Manuka Honey we were using.
Where I had time, I set aside about fifteen minutes to hang near River's yard and keep him used to my presence.
I definitely wanted to be person #2 that got to work with him.
Right now, I leaned on the top rail of the yard, watching the buckskin chew on his hay.
River swung his head around and his nostrils vibrated with a silent nicker.
I looked over my shoulder, hearing footstep's.
Blayze joined me.
"Hey."
I greeted, turning back to River.
River turned around so that he now faced us, half standing in his hay he watched Blayze, his ear's pricked.
"He really does like you."
I noted.
"That's only because I'm spending the time. When it's your turn, he'll like you too."
Blayze mirrored my casual lean against rail, folding his arm's across the top.
"Mmmm."
I wasn't so sure about that.
Even with Blayze now here, the young Brumby was still standing at the other side of the yard.
Blayze pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the screen.
What's he waiting for?
"I gotta get goin."
He announced and pushed the phone back into his pocket.
"What're you up to today?"
It was weird for him to leave the Farm on a weekday.
He glanced over at me.
"I gotta meet Rikki and Tameron at the Hospital to get this DNA test done."
Oh wow!
"How do you feel about that?"
He'd have to be nervous, right?
He pushed back from the fence.
"Well it's gotta be done so we know where to take thing's from here. It's been a while since she was pregnant or he was born."
I twisted around to face him.
"Good luck."
I wished.
"Thanks."
He shot me a quick smile, turned and headed for his car that was parked by the shed's.
I watched him climb into his car and then turned back around to observe River.
The little horse watched after Blayze, until Blayze shut the driver's door.
River startled, shying sideways.

"Pllllleeeeaaaasssseeee!"
I begged Mum, clamping my hand's together in a begging gesture and bracing my elbow's on the kitchen bench.
Mum looked dubious.
"I dunno..."
"It's only a few hours away."
I bargained.
"Plus, coz of how we did at the Riverston Rodeo, we gained points to enter."
Blayze informed me yesterday when he got back that I was eligible for the Angle Vale Rodeo on the weekend!
Now it was down to begging Mum to let me go.
I was nervous, but keen as hell.
I'd never been away to a Rodeo before.
"I'll be going with Blayze."
I bargained.
Mum rolled her eyes.
"That much is obvious. Why the sudden interest in Rodeo, though?"
I knew what she was getting at.
I sighed, slumping onto one of the breakfast bar stools.
"I can't hate the sport because of my Father."
"That is true."
Mum agreed.
"And I'm glad you're realising that."
I grinned!
"But I still don't see why you suddenly want to compete in them..."
Mum hedged.
I shrugged.
"I dunno. Something to do, I guess?"
Mum raised a questioning brow.
"You really want to go?"
I nodded vigorously.
"Phoenix is prepared to go?"
Mum asked.
"Blayze said we're in tip top shape. I think we would handle it."
"Alright. Well, it's cool with me."
Mum relented.
"Really?"
I sat up straight on the stool, surprised.
She's giving in so easily?
Mum smiled.
"Thank you!"
I leapt off the stool and raced around the counter to wrap her in a bear hug.
"No worries, baby."
Mum hugged me back.

"You nearly done there?"
As I wiped down the sink, I looked over my shoulder to see Blayze enter the kitchen through the back way.
"Finishing now. What's up?"
The previous night, we'd filled out my entry online for the Rodeo.
As far as I knew, I was good to go.
So why was Blayze visiting after dinner?
"Wanna make me a coffee?"
He asked.
"Uhh..."
I glanced at the kettle.
"Sure."
Blayze settled himself at the breakfast bar and I set about making him a coffee and myself a tea.
Somehow I'd got stuck with the dinner dishes all by myself.
Rude.
But it gave me some rather infrequent quiet time to get in tune with my own head.
"So what's up?"
I asked, taking the prepared drink's over to where Blayze sat.
Blayze raised a questioning brow, feigning a hurt expression.
"I can't visit?"
I rolled my eyes, feeling an involuntary blush warm my cheek's and an equally insistent smile growing.
"Yes you can..."
"I got this."
Blayze leaned down to retrieve something from the floor.
"Uh oh you went shopping?"
I couldn't contain my surprise at seeing the bag he placed on the counter.
He rolled his eyes.
"It does happen from time to time."
I couldn't help but smile.
"Take a look."
He pushed the bag to me.
"Uh oh, who are you trynna get approval on a present for?"
I asked nervously.
Why else would a guy get a girl to check out something he'd brought?
Wearily, I grabbed the handles of the bag.
"What?"
Blayze frowned, confused.
I rolled my eyes.
"Who's the present for?"
"You dipshit. Why else would I be getting you to look?"
I froze with the paper bag halfway open.
"Me?"
"Yes..."
"It's not my birthday!"
"I'm well aware."
A smile twitched at the corner's of Blayze's lip's.
I felt the blush return to my cheek's!
This is awkward...
My curiosity well and truly piqued, I pulled the paper bag closer and reached inside.
My hand closed around what felt like a cardboard box.
What the?
I pulled the box out, ensuring to have a good grip on it.
Shock hit me when I saw the image on the box and the writing.
Apple iPhone 6, 64GB.
I looked up to Blayze, eyes wide.
He cannot be serious?
"You- you got a new phone?"
That had to be what it was.
"This is my upgrade."
He extracted a sleek, shiny screened phone from his pocket and placed it on the bench.
"I just added that one to my plan."
He pointed to the box I held.
"Blayze that's crazy! It would cost so much!"
I protested.
He shrugged.
"Only like an extra thirty a month."
Ah shit!
"You can't add extra bill's for yourself because of me!"
Is he crazy?
"You need a phone."
He pointed out.
"Yeah. But it doesn't have to be your problem."
I looked down at the box I was still holding, trying hard to not get too excited.
"It's no problem. I'd rather know you have a phone and it'll always have fund's on it to make call's and what not."
"How- so how much extra is it exactly?"
I was going to have to pay him the money.
Bye bye savings money...
He shrugged.
"Like thirty buck's."
"Find out exactly."
I insisted.
"Fine..."
He picked his own phone up and tapped away at the screen.
"Thirty buck's."
He declared after a few moments, setting the phone back onto the counter, with it making a clicking noise to show it was locked.
"A month?"
I checked.
"Yes."
He nodded.
"Well then I'll give you the thirty each month."
I am getting paid now...
He shook his head.
"I didn't do it so you'd pay me. I did it coz I wanted to. I don't want your money Bail's."
His tanned face was serious.
"But that's a whole other thirty buck's you could have every month!"
He rolled his eyes.
"Which bring's it down to less than ten dollar's a week."
"Yeah, but still..."
"Open it and we'll get it set up. Oh and your number's written on the side of the box there."
I tipped the box to the side to see a pen scrawled number.
0422617181.
That seemed fairly easy.
I set the box carefully onto the counter and eased the lid off.
Now for the fun.