Suprise (7 page)

"Anything to drink?" They both shook their heads, indicating water was fine. He inclined his head and walked off, the efficient stride youthful and straight.
 

"Oysters, really?" Sophia asked, arching an eyebrow. She copied the facial move from the blonde so well, Vanessa had to chuckle lightly when she saw it.

"You ordered spring rolls," Vanessa countered, "Did you ask what kind of oil those are fried with?" Seeing Sophia's immediate frown, she felt vindicated. "Besides, oysters are supposed to help with certain things." Winking, Vanessa picked up her glass and took a slow sip, making a point of using her tongue to lick up an ice cube. Sophia watched her, mouth open and eyes wide, as she sucked in the cube and casually started chewing. Small, satisfied sounds escaped her throat as she chewed the ice, which for some reason made Sophia blush furiously.
 

"So when you mentioned that movie, you mean to say, you'd 'settle' for me?" Sophia's voice held a dangerous tone, and it was Vanessa's turn to blush.

"No!" She said, "Not at all." She gazed into Sophia's eyes for a moment, seeing hope, confusion and attraction writ there. "What I meant is," she paused, dropping her voice. "I always dreamed of
prince
charming. Not
princess
charming."

Nodding, the other woman started enjoying the view of the bridge for a moment, sipping her water. When the food arrived, they both ate in companionable silence, each lost in her own thoughts. Every few minutes, Sophia looked embarrassed, or thoughtful, and studied Vanessa's dainty eating habits. She slurped a few oysters first, then moved onto a spring roll. Unfortunately, the juice from the fried vegetables dripped down her chin, and the spy giggled a bit. For her part, Sophia enjoyed a single oyster, and could barely keep a straight face as Vanessa made a very lewd expression when she did. Coughing, she decided against having more, despite their delicate, sea taste with a hint of salt and lemon.

After the meal, the waiter arrived and politely inquired if they needed dessert or any to go boxes. A fair bit of noodle salad was left, along with half the spring rolls. They declined, and when Vanessa reached for the bill, Sophia shot her a warning glance. "Remember, my treat." She smiled softly, "It has to be."

"Dirty trick," Vanessa muttered, "Tonight, you have some explaining to do."

On their way back to the car, Vanessa heard her phone buzzing, and saw Letty was calling. "Crap," she muttered.

"What's wrong?"

"Letty. I think I scared her, as when those two guys were watching me, I asked to borrow her can of mace."

"Send her a text in reply, tell her everything's fine," Sophia paused, "If you want, tell her your new friend delayed her trip back to Boston and whisked you away for a romantic dinner." She jumped into the driver side of the car and Vanessa followed suit in the passenger side, being careful to set her clutch purse on her lap to grab the phone.

"I have yet to see this dress," Vanessa chided, "Clothes alone don't make a dinner romantic. Mood, music, food, wine..." Vanessa trailed off, picking out her phone. "Let me send Letty that text so she doesn't freak out." She wrote in the screen,
Hey Letty, you'll never believe it. The attractive programmer last night surprised me with lunch, and now we're headed to Napa Valley to stay at a bed and breakfast.
A minute later, while Sophia brought the car into traffic and sped off to the North, Letty replied.
 

Thought you said he lived in Boston?

I know. I was shocked when they whisked me away but...hell, if James is going to keep pulling a disappearing act, why should I keep waiting for a fantasy that might never come true?

Fair enough, Chica. Be careful and remember to get some condoms!

Lol. Get your mind out of the gutter. I'll see you at work. Ciao.

Ttyl.

Turning her phone off, Vanessa smiled over at Sophia, who was focused on the road. "Everything okay?" She said, briefly looking over and seeing the blonde put the phone away.

"Almost perfect," Vanessa replied. They shared a grin and Vanessa started fiddling with the radio, searching for some decent tunes. When she found Wild 94.9, the song playing was, "In My Head," by Jason DeRulo. "I see you all over me in my head..." she couldn't help blushing when the lyrics came through, looking askance at Sophia. Settling back in her chair, stomach full, Vanessa soon found herself drifting and before they finished crossing the Bay Bridge, she fell asleep.
 

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Sophia nudged the sleeping woman, tempted to caress her blonde hair away from her eyes. She pushed Vanessa's shoulder, causing her head to flip to the side. No response, and she decided a different tact. Leaning in, she brushed the long blonde tresses out of the way and gently blew on her ear. "You can't be that tired," she whispered, "We haven't even had any fun yet."

"What?" Vanessa said, voice thick. A moment later, she jerked awake, her shoulder almost bumping into Sophia's face. She looked around, noticed the large, columned two story manor and remembered. "We're here?"

"Yep," Sophia replied, giving her a big smile and then sliding out of the car. "I'll grab the bags."

Bags?
Vanessa thought, then remembered the dress and other clothing Sophia said she'd picked up. Feeling giddy, she looked around the wooded landscape, noticing there were two other cars parked nearby, a new Mercedes SUV and a Lexus. Both were clean, recently washed and gleaming in the afternoon sun. Inhaling deeply, she thought the air smelled of clean, fresh nature. Silicon Valley never seemed polluted to her, but the scent of trees and sunshine filled her nose. Layers of stress seemed to melt away as she studied the large manor house and adjacent gardens. An expansive lawn was out front, surrounded by tall, well groomed hedges that gave a sense of privacy and tranquility. The decor and care was evident in the way the grounds were kept.

Two stories, with rich wood paneling and decks, the long, white columns gave the house a sort of eclectic charm. Older than most buildings in San Jose, the house gleamed with freshly burnished wooden decks and carefully placed seating for a dozen occupants. Next door, the manicured gardens had a carefully groomed path down into the backyard and a few fruit trees interspersed among the evergreen and pine. It was nearly as warm as it was in the South, two hours away, and Vanessa tugged her t-shirt, feeling a bit underdressed. In her head, she thought a nice long dress, with a shawl, would be most appropriate for the setting. Not jeans and sneakers.
 

Sophia led the way inside, striding confidently in, carrying two duffle bags, one slung over her shoulder and the other at her side. Feeling a bit guilty, the blonde asked, "Can I carry something?"

"No," she replied, "But thanks for asking." The brunette looked back and gave her a wink, "I wouldn't want you finding any surprises I might have in store."

Not sure what kind of surprise that might be, Vanessa remained quiet as the other woman led the way inside and to a small desk in the middle of the foyer. An older gentleman sat behind the desk, his round face tan and wrinkled. He wore a small goatee and his full head of hair was almost white. Eyes crinkling in a smile when he saw Sophia, he looked at Vanessa and gave her a small nod.

"Miss Smith! How delightful to see you again," the older gentleman had a strong voice, despite his thin, frail frame. "Who is your lovely companion?" Sophia gave a girlish laugh, setting the bag down and extending her hand. He gave it a brief, chaste kiss and his eyes twinkled. "If I was only forty years younger," he said, smiling.

"More like sixty," Sophia quipped, making him chuckle. "This is my cousin, Miss Smith. To avoid confusion, call her Sarah."

"Nice to meet you, Sarah." The older gentleman frowned, his face crestfallen. "The room, Miss, ah, Lisa. It only has the one king sized bed. Unfortunately, we don't have any rooms with two beds..."

"It's okay," Sophia replied, ignoring Vanessa's brief look of outrage. "My cousin doesn't snore, and a king size bed will be fine for us," she grinned, "Besides, we have a lot to catch up on."

Shuffling a few papers on the desk, Vanessa noticed he did not have a computer.
Odd
, she thought,
doesn't everybody use a computer to manage their business?
After a moment, the owner she guessed, presented a few forms to Sophia to sign. "Here," he said, gesturing to the top sheet, "Then the other three, just sign on the line where it says 'customer' and you'll be all set." He looked over at them and said, "Ah, do you need help with your bags? I can call Carlos."

"No thanks," Sophia replied, "Though, are the horses going to be ready soon? I find after the long trip here, I'm anxious to go for the ride I promised Sarah."

"Yes, the horses are ready," he replied, "The picnic basket is, too." He paused, looking at Vanessa before adding, "I can only guess your cousin can ride as well, Miss Smith?"

"Call me Lisa, please," Sophia replied, "Otherwise, we'll both get confused." Vanessa tried to hide her smile as the older gentleman frowned. He seemed entirely put off by the idea of using a guest's first name.
 

"I can ride," Vanessa chimed in, to put him at ease. "It's been a few years, but I had a few classes in horseback riding in college." She smiled wide, giving her best impression of innocence, "Lisa will be there every canter of the way, to ensure we're safe; I'll also carry my cell phone."

"Right," he replied, with a mild,
harumph
. "Well, you can meet the handler, Susan, once you're all set for the ride," he paused and opened a drawer. Withdrawing his hand, he produced two keys and pushed one in the direction of each woman. "Dinner is from six until nine, but you have to order by eight-thirty to ensure the chef has time to prepare. Room's at the top of the stairwell, turn right, last room on the right." He started putting the papers into a stack, and made to get up, "Allow me to escort you."

"No, thank you, we'll find it," Sophia said, reaching out to pat his hand, "Thank you, Mr. Happer, it's always a delight to see you." Turning to Vanessa, she picked up the bags and grabbed a key, "This way," she said, leading them just across the hall to the wooden stairwell. The old cherry oak was so shiny, it gleamed in the afternoon light, and Vanessa could sense the pride and joy taken in keeping the bed and breakfast in such fantastic condition.
 

On Vanessa's salary, she never got to indulge like this, and could not help but feel a bit of jealousy over Sophia's lifestyle. The stairwell was lined with decorative, realistic portraits of the countryside, green, grassy hills and endless grapevines. Coupled with secluded private tables or picnic clothes, each scene depicting the kind of fantasy escape Vanessa dreamed about. Sighing, she mounted the top of the stairs and looked down the hall, noting the attention to detail in the crown molding, the spotless hallway.
 

Watching Sophia lead the way, Vanessa could not help notice how little effort the woman seemed to need with the bags. She did not look very muscular but it was clear Sophia was a lot stronger than her. The brunette fiddled with the lock for a brief moment and swung the door wide, "After you," she said, giving a half bow with a silly grin. The blonde swept inside, ignoring her look, and took a few steps into the room before stopping, wide eyed and breathless.
 

A king size bed dominated the room, covered with layers of blankets and wonderfully dressed pillows. There were heavy oak headboards, two on each end, which matched the huge fireplace set in the wall. The walls were painted a muted stucco pattern, rich cream blended with accents to give texture. Upholstered seats, in the same dark wood, sat at the foot of the bed. In the corner, a nightstand, with a half mirror and in the opposite side, a claw foot classic bathtub. Vanessa felt tears well in her eyes for a moment, walking over to the upholstered couch. The sofa matched the chairs, mostly oak wood showing with minimal upholstering. Kneeling on the couch, she drew back the dainty white curtain and peered outside. The view of the gardens was lovely, and her heart swelled to near bursting.
 

"Everything okay?" Sophia asked, hesitant.

"Have you been here before?"
 

"Only to make reservations," Sophia replied, "It's the kind of place I've always wanted to go, but..." Sophia paused, trailing off. Vanessa looked back to see the brunette had set one duffle bag on each chair, and put her hands in her pockets. "Well, you can't come to a place like this alone." The look she gave Vanessa made her blush, and she shivered, suddenly nervous.

"Horseback riding?" Vanessa said, arching an eyebrow. She gave Sophia an appraising look, getting off the couch and walking over, swaying her hips just a bit more than usual. "Romantic getaway?" She shook her head, a smile creasing her lips. "Is this for real?"

"Yes," Sophia replied, her cheeks slightly pink. "You can't blame a girl for trying," she said, withdrawing her hands and reaching out, then stopping.
 

"You're right, I can't," Vanessa said, reaching out and grabbing Sophia's hands in hers. "Thank you," she said, blue eyes wide. Sophia's fingers twitched against her, and Vanessa impulsively leaned forward, planting a quick peck on the surprised brunette's cheek. "I want to know what happened in Santana Row," Vanessa said, serious, "But first, how about that ride?"

"I didn't bring any clothes for the ride," Sophia said, "But I have clothes for dinner, and tomorrow..." she trailed off, "I think you can ride in those, right?"

"We'll see," Vanessa replied, watching Sophia turn and head for the door. She had to suppress a sudden, wild urge to spank the other woman on her way out. Wasting no time gawking over the furnishings, Vanessa kept up Sophia's swift stride back the way they came, all the way to the entrance. From there, she headed around the building counter-clockwise, to the rear gardens.
 

Outside, the air was as fresh as Vanessa remembered. Seeing the paintings on the wall, one in particular of a blanket strewn in a grassy clearing, overlooking an uninhabited field of grapes and trees lining the distance set her imagination on fire. On a whim in college, she had taken horseback riding, first one summer and then a second time. Back then, friends had teased her that, "Zorro wasn't going to come rescue her," or that, "Sleeping Beauty did not need to be able to ride, only hold onto Prince Charming's broad chest." While following Sophia, she could hear a sudden braying sound, and her heart skipped a beat. Wiping her hands on her blue jeans, she hoped that the six years since her last class had not dulled her memory of what to do.