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
"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
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