Cowgirl Up 2 (Sequel) ✔️

Chapter Twenty Two

Thank you marnimiddleton123 for your request on when this would be up! It's actually still Wednesday night for me, but I couldn't resist! 😀

It felt extremely weird to hand Heath my keys so he could take my Ute home, while I made my way to Bentley's Cafe because of Blayze's random text message I'd received when I'd checked my phone at recess on this mundane Monday.
Heath was in on whatever was going on, too and was more than ready to accept ditching me at the Cafe, then taking my car home.
It was another blue and sunny Winter's day which was a relief, alerting us to the fact that hopefully Spring would be on it's way soon.
"Hey Darlin'."
Georgia Bentley greeted when I walked through the Cafe door, the bell's chiming gently above my head.
"Hey Georgia."
I offered her a smile.
With one sweeping glance, I'd already determined that Blayze wasn't here.
He was a pretty difficult guy to miss.
Why would he request to meet me here but not bloody well be here?
With a shrug, I made my way to a back corner table.
A small group of elderly patron's had claimed my favourite table that was by the large window that overlooked the green pasture, leaving me having to make a different seating choice.
"What are you doin' here?"
Georgia asked as she approached me while I pulled out a chair to take a seat.
"Blayze asked to meet me."
I explained, clasping my hands atop the table.
"Though I'm not exactly sure why he's in town..."
I guess that question would be answered when he arrives.
Georgia smiled.
"Fair enough."
Hang on!
She might have some insight.
Not on Blayze obviously, but...
"Hey do you know why Noah wasn't at school today? She hasn't answered me or Hayley yet."
Neither one of us has heard from Noah since before she went away with Codie for the weekend.
Georgia offered me a small smile.
"Codie said she's a bit sick, came down crook yesterday before they came home."
Oh.
Well that sucks.
The bells over the cafe door jangled and we both twisted to look, Georgia half turning around.
Blayze walked into the shop, pulling his white Rough Rider off his head.
"Good job leaving your girl waitin' bozo."
Georgia chastized.
Blayze looked quickly from Georgia to me.
Smiling, I shook my head.
Technically, he was only a few minutes late.
I wasn't mad.
For once.
My emotions sure seemed out of control lately.
Laughing, Georgia clapped him on the back.
"Wave me over when you're ready to order."
She told us and headed back to tend to business behind the counter.
"How're you doin?"
Blayze asked, easing himself into a chair opposite mine.
"Good..."
I was good.
But I was a bit confused about this spontaneous get together...
"Don't look so worried."
He insisted, reaching across the table to grab my hands.
"Okay well what's up?"
I asked, squeezing his hands lightly.
"Do you wanna order first?"
He asked, making a move to get out of his seat.
"Blayze?"
I warned.
"I want coffee."
He insisted and slipped his hands out of mine.
I sighed, slumping back into my chair.
"I'll have tea please."
I relented.
"Anything else?"
He asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"No..."
I can just get lunch at home.
I have lunch food waiting in my backpack which is in my car...
"Righto."
He turned and headed up to the counter.
"I told ya to wave me over."
Georgia scolded.

"So what's up?"
I insisted, now that our drink's were sitting in front of us.
Blayze winced slightly.
Oh no...
We had such a good night last night!
"I didn't wanna say anything last night because I didn't wanna ruin your plans or the good mood we had going."
He explained, propping his elbows on the table.
"Okay..."
I said wearily.
"I checked the voicemail that Rikki left."
It was like somebody splashed cold water into my face.
I didn't see that being the direction this conversation would take...
Thank's to our conversation yesterday morning, I knew I had to at least attempt to keep my emotions and reactions under control.
I pressed my lips together and sucked in a deep breath through my nose, staring down at my cup of tea that was sitting on a cute little blue saucer.
Blayze gave an audible sigh
I lifted my gaze in time to see him run his fingers into the disheveled strands of his inky  coloured hair.
"She wants money out of me."
He explained.
Whoa.
He was getting good at surprising me today.
"She what?"
I asked, blinking.
"Tameron's school fee's and shit."
He muttered, scowling down at his coffee.
I shook my head.
"While to some degree that's fair I guess... She's gotten through paying for him on her own up until now, so what gives?"
Blayze shrugged.
"She's mad. She probably wants to get back at me. But Tameron is my kid and I know that now, so it's fair I help him along in his life."
That was true...
Your Mum got by without your Dad chipping in.
My brain retorted.
"I chatted with a local Family Disputes Lawyer not too long ago."
He explained.
"Hence why I asked you to meet me here so I could talk to you about it. I wanted to talk to you first but I didn't wanna wait too long and as I said before, I didn't really wanna ruin what we had going last night..."
Yay...
Blayze winced.
"He reckon's we can take it all to court but I don't want all that bullshit."
"Okay... so what's the alternative then?"
I asked, attempting to be brave.
"I shut up and go halves. But his bargaining tool is that if she wants my help financially then she'll have to let Tameron come and stay with us."
Well that was good news.
And absolutely fair.
"So... is that what you're going to do?"
I asked, gently lifting my tea off the saucer to take a sip.
"I'm not gonna do anything without talking about it with you first."
He denied, his gaze locking with mine.
My heart beat twice as fast just from those few words and their sentiment.
But the fact of the matter is, Tameron is Blayze's kid and they deserve to have each other in their lives.
"Then I guess you have to talk to Rikki."
The words tasted bitter on my tongue.
But I was out of time for being a teenager that needed somebody else to fight her battles.
My own baby will be here by the end of the year.
I've got no choice but to have an adult relationship, because my partner is twenty-six.
And he's got a kid to another woman.
Life is great.
Blayze scowled.
"I'm too fucking angry at her to talk to her myself yet. For now the Lawyer can put this shit to her and see what he can achieve."
I was torn in two directions about what he was saying.
Part of me was satisfied that he seemed to want nothing to do with Rikki, even if it involved discussing money for Tameron.
Yet...
Well I couldn't even really describe the other direction my heart was going.
I definitely don't feel sorry for Rikki.
Wordlessly, I placed the mug to my lips and took a drink.
Mmmm.
Blayze too drank from his mug.
Suddenly Blayze grabbed his phone and checked the screen.
"Ah crap we gotta go in a minute."
"Why...?"
I asked wearily.
What's the hurry?
"Arden's bringing a horse out that he wants me to look at."
He explained with a sigh.
Whoa!
I blinked.
"Your Rodeo boss man wants you to look at a horse for him?"
He grimaced slightly and nodded.
"Apparently the horse recently recovered from a fence injury, but now he's got big issues around 'em pickin' up his feet."
"Uh oh."
I muttered, picking up my mug to take another gulp from it.
"So I'm sorry but we're gonna have to finish these drink's and get outta here. I wasn't keepin' very good track of time."
"It's fine."
I told him.
He does have work to do.
Not all of us are back at school.
I gulped down the last of my cuppa and set the mug back onto the saucer.
Blayze downed the remainder of his Hazelnut Latte and set it onto its saucer also.
We rose from our chair's and eased them back under the table, trying to make Georgia's life a little easier.
Blayze grabbed my hand as I walked around the side of the table and I couldn't help but grin.
He leaned down to give my lips a brief, but sweet kiss that melted my heart.
I gripped his hand tighter as we walked towards the door.
"Bye Georgia!"
We both bade as Blayze opened the large glass door.
"Bye guys! Enjoy the rest of your day!"
Codie's Mum called as she wiped down a table across the room.