“Nice to meet you, Mr. Cooke,” Sameera said, suddenly feeling shy.
“Call me Rob,” the older man said. He was clearly delighted that Sameera and her family were here, and she relaxed.
“Thank you for picking us up. It’s been a long trip,” she said now.
“We brought our trucks. Plenty of space for you and ... your luggage,” Barb said.
“Are you moving in?” Rob joked. “Tom won’t be happy to hear it.”
Sameera caught Tom’s wince at his father’s words. He caught her looking, and after giving her a quick hug and muttering “I’ll explain later,” he reached for her bag, as well as Tahsin’s large suitcase, before leading the way to the covered parking lot and the promised trucks.
Tom, Sameera, Tahsin, and Barb piled into a white Ford F-150 while Rob, Calvin, Esa, and Naveed climbed into a matching black truck, their luggage piled in the beds. Sameera sat next to Tom in the back seat of the extended cab while her mother and Barb took the front.
“Now, Sameera, you must tell me how you and Tom met. My son keeps insisting you tell the story better. I’ll bet it was love at first sight,” Barb said in a cheery voice. The look she threw Tom, which Sameera caught in the rearview mirror, was one of exasperated fondness.
“Let’s let Sameera settle in before we start the interrogation, Barb,” Tom said. “Plenty of time to share that story once we get home.”
Sameera startled. “Home?” she asked. She leaned forward to glare at Tahsin. “Mom, you said you made reservations at a hotel.” She hoped she didn’t sound as desperate as she felt.
Barb laughed, a musical sound. “Nonsense. You’ll be staying with us, dear. It’s no problem at all.”
“But ... but ...” Sameera stumbled over her words. Her dream of a single room with a sturdy lock, and a warm shower where she could enjoy a tiny little breakdown, was the only thing that had kept her going. “We wouldn’t want to impose,” she finished weakly.
“You’re our guests. I insist,” Barb said firmly.
“Yes, ma’am,” Sameera said meekly. “If it’s okay with my parents.”
“Oh, your mom and I have the details all squared away. We just want the young people to enjoy yourselves while us older folk get to know one another. Isn’t that right, Tahsin?” Barb pronounced her mother’s name perfectly, and from the beaming smile her mother threw Tom’s stepmother, it was clear that they were on their way to becoming fast friends.
Not an alarming development at all.
Sameera threw Tom a panicked look, and he cleared his throat. “I think Sameera might be more comfortable in a hotel, Barb,” he said meaningfully.
She nodded eagerly at his words. All she wanted right now was a quiet room of her own, where she could nap, shower, and then do five hours of work on her laptop without being interrupted. Knowing her luck, if they stayed with the Cooke family, she would be stuck sharing a tiny bedroom and bathroom with her parents and Esa.
“There aren’t any hotels in Wolf Run, and I’m sure all the bed-and-breakfasts are already full for the holidays. But of course, we want Sameera to be comfortable,” Barb started.
Tahsin interjected before Sameera could chime in.
“Nonsense. We’re grateful you offered to have us stay in your home,” Tahsin said, shooting her daughter a stern look. “Sameera is thrilled, aren’t you,beta?”
“‘Thrilled’ doesn’t begin to do justice to my feelings,” Sameera said, and Tom covered his laugh with a cough. When she caught his eye, he winked at her, reminding her that they were in this together. Strangely,the thought made her feel better, even as she wondered whether Tom had shared that their romance was only for the camera. Surely he had? She resolved to ask him soon. Well, as soon as she dealt with the plastic container full of samosas he now passed her.
“As promised,” he said before handing her a thermos filled with chai, still steaming hot.
“I could kiss you,” Sameera said, and Barb caught her eye in the rearview mirror, a fond smile playing about her lips.
She shared the fried snack, though her mother waved away the tea, and settled in her seat, admiring the view as she ate. The scenery was stunning. The pictures she had looked up on Google Images hadn’t done it justice. Bright-blue clouds and dramatic, snow-capped mountains in the distance entranced her immediately. She could spot small bodies of water, ponds, and tributaries, all frozen over as they drove. The thick forest of evergreens on either side of the near-empty road were blanketed by snow, the contrast stark and beautiful.
They made casual conversation about the flight, and Barb shared her plans for their visit. Sameera half listened to something about Christmas trees, a local market, and Christmas morning brunch. It didn’t really matter, as she would opt out of the group activities. She had too much work to do, and her pitch for Andy wasn’t quite complete. She was determined to have it ready and memorized before he showed up. If she was very lucky, she might be able to email her boss with good news before Christmas.
Maybe it was good that Barb had so many plans; that way, her family would stay busy, and she wouldn’t feel guilty about ditching them after they’d had their much-needed talk.
The conversation soon turned to Tom and his job. “Tom loved to cook when he was younger,” Barb said. “Rob can’t even manage toast. Which means I’m stuck doing all the holiday baking every year. I hope you’ll lend me a hand while you’re in town, Tom.”
Tom stiffened beside Sameera, but his voice was casual as he answered Barb. “I’m sure you’ve got everything covered. No pie left unbaked, if I know you.”
Barb laughed heartily at this joke, though it wasn’t especially funny. Sameera wondered what was really going on.
