Chapter Seven #2
The tall, bulky white man with thinning blond hair and a handsome, friendly face was clearly Tom’s father, Rob Cooke.
Beside him stood a petite Black woman who looked to be her mother’s age: Tom’s stepmother, Barb.
Beside them was a boy in his mid-teens, his curly hair left natural, with light-brown skin and dark, curious eyes.
With a jolt, she realized she hadn’t even asked Tom whether he had siblings.
Luckily, Rob was already performing the introductions. “My lovely wife, Barbara, and our son, Calvin,” Rob said before turning to hug Sameera, nearly lifting her off her feet.
“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.
“Tom and I will be filming a few videos for his social media while we’re here,” Sameera said brightly. “I’m sure he’ll make something delicious to share.”
The conversation moved on, but Tom remained strangely quiet.
They turned off the main road and Sameera spotted the white pickup truck with Rob, her dad, Esa, and Calvin as they entered what looked like the outer limits of a township.
Sure enough, a cheerful, hand-painted sign proclaimed they were about to enter the village of Wolf Run.
Beside her, Tom shifted in his seat, and when she glanced over, she saw that he had a death grip on the door handle.
She impulsively reached over and took his hand in hers.
A jolt of electricity passed through her at the contact, and she nearly gasped.
A static shock? He smiled at her, and her heart started to beat fast. Maybe a different sort of shock, she thought.
His expression was uncertain; she was sure she looked the same.
They were both in uncharted territory, and with a full audience watching their every move.
A wave of frustration crawled over her skin, and part of her wanted to demand Barb drive her to the nearest bed-and-breakfast after all.
She had been in Alaska for only a few hours and already felt as if she had lost control.
She remembered this feeling from when she was younger and still lived at home.
It was strange how quickly she was reduced to that state of mind when she was around her parents: annoyed and impatient, her own needs and desires disregarded as her parents made plans without bothering to consult with her.
She hated feeling powerless and backed into a corner.
Barb had slowed down to navigate Wolf Run’s small main street, and Sameera noticed that many of the businesses were named after the family: Cooke’s Grocery, Cooke Convenience, and Cooke Gas. Tom’s surname was everywhere.
“Do you have a lot of family in town?” Sameera asked.
Beside her, Tom shifted in his seat, and she noticed an embarrassed flush stain his chiseled cheekbones. “Dad’s an only child,” he said.
“Then why—” she started, but Barb cut in, bemused.
“Didn’t Tom tell you? The Cookes are the founding family in the village. Rob runs many of the businesses here. In fact, he’s served as the mayor of Wolf Run for nearly two decades!”
“That’s because no one else wants the job,” Tom muttered.
“He’s been talking of stepping down,” Barb said, not taking the bait. “If you’re interested in the position.” She laughed as if this were a joke, but no one else joined in.
Clearly, Sameera was missing something. She added it to the mental list she was compiling of questions to ask Tom. She decided to start with the most obvious one and leaned over to whisper, “Why didn’t you tell me you were Alaskan royalty?”
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown.” He winked at her, and Sameera realized she might be in serious trouble—she was starting to genuinely like Tom.
They left the outer limits of the town, and Barb turned onto a private drive, the truck climbing a steep hill easily. At the very top, a sprawling estate came into view, and Sameera tried not to gape. Her joke about Alaskan royalty felt even more accurate.
“Welcome to Cooke Place,” Barb said, pride and delight evident in her voice. “Better than any hotel around, I can promise you that.”