Chapter Twenty-Four
When she climbed back into bed, Nadiya stirred. “Your feet are cold,” her sister grumbled. “Where did you go?”
“I made some coffee, argued with Andy, had an existential crisis. It’s been a busy morning.”
“I called dibs on fighting with Andy,” Nadiya said, her voice sleepy. “Are you okay?”
Sameera considered. She was, surprisingly. “Yes,” she said.
“Good. Merry Christmas.” Nadiya smiled. “I’ve never said that before and meant it.”
Her parents were already up when the girls emerged from their room, and their happiness at seeing their older daughter was immediate.
Thankfully, Nadiya didn’t mention any of last night’s excitement, saying simply that she had missed her family.
As they chatted in the sitting room, Sameera felt a sense of relief steal over her.
Her entire family was together again, everyone she loved in one room. Her heart felt full.
“Nadiya, you will like our hosts,” Tahsin said. “Tom and his family have been so kind. They have another guest, and you’ll never guess who. Andy Shaikh! The one who owns all those bubble tea spots. He’s single, too. I’ve asked for his mother’s contact. What do you think?”
The sisters exchanged a look. Their mother was so predictable—but today Tahsin’s comment felt amusing, and not annoying like it usually would to Sameera.
“I think you shouldn’t WhatsApp a random aunty asking about her son, or she might wonder about your intentions,” Nadiya joked.
While Tahsin laughed, Sameera quietly slipped back to her room. If she hurried, she could catch Tom before the rest of her family assembled. Andy’s ambush this morning had spurred her to action: It was time to tell Tom what was really going on.
Inside the main house, Tom was at the counter, chopping tomatoes, onions, and red peppers for shakshuka, a breakfast dish with coddled eggs, popular in the Middle East. He smiled sheepishly at Sameera after they’d exchanged Christmas greetings.
“I missed cooking,” he admitted. “Also, I took your advice and talked to my dad. Sort of.”
Sameera’s brow rose. “Did you half talk to him?”
“I told him why I don’t cook when I’m here, and then I told him we should talk more, later.”
“A ‘save the date’ type of talk,” Sameera said, and Tom nodded, smiling.
“It felt good to tell him. I thought he would get defensive, but he told me Barb has been on him to do better, to be better. He told me he missed me,” Tom said shyly. Sameera felt her heart softening. She hated what she was about to reveal about someone else he loved.
“Your sister is terrifying, by the way,” Tom added. “Andy is really into it. He left the house early this morning, hoping to run into her.” He turned back to his chopping.
“He found me instead,” she started.
Tom turned back to her. “I hope he behaved himself,” he said, only half kidding.
“I don’t think Andy is capable of behaving himself,” Sameera said. After a pause, she asked, “Why are you two friends?”
Tom shook his head. “Sometimes I wonder the same thing.” Noticing her serious expression, he sobered. “I know he comes across as this ruthless, callous business bro. He can be thoughtless, selfish, single-minded, an egotist—”
“You’re really not selling this,” Sameera said grimly.
“He’s also loyal, caring, and he’s been a true friend. I’ll never forget the way he had my back in undergrad. He’s the reason I launched my business, and he helped me stay afloat during those early years. I owe Andy a lot, and even though we’ve both changed since college, he’s still my brother.”
Sameera winced. Would Tom feel the same about his “brother” after she’d told him what Andy had tried to do? Or would he resent her for revealing the truth—or even believe her? How he reacted was out of her hands, she decided. The important thing was that she said something.
“He was also the one who told me I should come back to visit during the holidays this year, after I told him about meeting you and your family,” Tom added quietly. “If it wasn’t for Andy, none of this would have happened.” He smiled shyly at her.
Damn Andy, she thought.
“I was thinking we could film another video,” he continued. “The apple pie one has been doing excellent numbers. My agent thinks we might even get an offer for the show in January, if this keeps up.”
“That sounds like fun,” she said, her voice faint. She took a deep breath and willed herself to stay strong.
Tom stared down at the cutting board, his hand still, as if working himself up to speak.
“I know you’re heading back to Atlanta tomorrow, and I know we agreed to keep fake dating just over the holidays, but I was thinking .
. .” His ears turned red, and he said in a rush, “Can I take you out for New Year’s, for real? ”
They stared at each other, and Sameera tried to tamp down her feeling of panic. Last night, she had told Nadiya that she had real feelings for Tom. This morning, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to leap into a relationship with him, at least not until she had sorted out the rest of her life.
“To a restaurant, or to your kitchen?” she asked, trying for a joke.
“Wherever you like,” he said, and his voice was soft. “I’ll take whatever you can give me, Sameera. I don’t want this to end. Do you?”
Sameera closed her eyes. Before they went any further, before any more promises were made, she needed to tell him about Andy.
“Before we finalize plans, I have to share something first,” she said.
Tom wrinkled his brow. “We don’t have to go out for dinner. I like breakfast and lunch, too.”
“It’s not that.” She led him to the kitchen table and sat down. Better to get this done all at once, she figured. “Yesterday while we were skating, Andy said he was willing to work with my firm.”
A delighted smile suffused Tom’s face, and he reached over to give her a hug, but she held her hand out.
“He had one condition,” she said.
“Don’t tell me he wants you to pretend to be his girlfriend, too,” Tom joked. But his smile faded at her serious expression.
“The condition involved you.” Better to rip off the Band-Aid. “He said he would sign with my firm if I could convince you to sell Cooke Place to him.”
Tom laughed. “It’s not mine to sell.”
“Rob won’t sell until you give up your claim. It’s down to you.”
Tom stood up, shaking his head. “Funny joke.”
“I’m not laughing,” Sameera said, and watched as Tom worked through the implications; it was like watching someone’s heart break in real time. “I didn’t know how to tell you. Tom, I’m so sorry.”
“No,” Tom said, shaking his head again. “I’ve known Andy for almost fifteen years. He’s my brother. He wouldn’t do this. Not when he knows how I feel about . . . you.”
Sameera’s breath hitched. They would be able to get past this, surely? “I think that’s why he wanted me to do the asking.”
“I don’t believe it.” He speared her with a look. “If he asked you this yesterday, why didn’t you tell me right away?”
Sameera shrugged helplessly. “We were having a nice time baking pies, and then we were at Abu Isra’s, and you were the one who joined us when we went sledding last night. Also, I guess I was hoping he would reconsider.”
“That’s what Esa was alluding to last night.
I suppose your siblings know all about this.
” His tone was bitter, the expression on his face hard.
“Or were you the one who needed time to reconsider? After all, if you were willing to pretend to be my girlfriend in return for an introduction to Andy, if you flew all the way to Alaska just to pitch him, why not do this, too?”
The words stung, because they were tinged with the truth. “I did consider it,” she said quietly. “I hate that his offer made me pause. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t tempting. But in the end, it wouldn’t feel right. Tom, I like you. A lot. I know you feel the same. I could never betray you.”
He wiped his face with his hands. “But you thought about it.” She bowed her head, and Tom paced, agitated. “I have to go.”
“Where?” she asked, alarmed.
“I don’t know. Somewhere I can think. Away from here.” He couldn’t even look at her.
“I’m sorry, Tom,” she started again.
“Stop apologizing,” he said shortly. “You’ve done enough.”
He yanked open the patio door and stalked into the snow without his jacket, leaving her to stare after him, stricken.
She ended up back at the guesthouse, because where else could she go?
Her conversation with Tom had lasted maybe fifteen minutes, because the rest of her family members were still in their rooms, getting ready for Christmas brunch.
Nadiya took one look at her face and led her to the sofa to sit down before filling a glass with water and passing it to her.
“Tom didn’t take the news well?” she asked.
Sameera shook her head. “He was devastated. He asked me why I took so long to tell him, and when I admitted I considered Andy’s offer for a minute, he left.”
Nadiya cursed softly. “Stupid Tom.”
“He wasn’t wearing a jacket,” she said, not sure why this one fact bothered her. “It’s freezing outside. He needs his coat.”
She felt numb, but when she looked up, she saw that Esa had joined them. Nadiya gave him a look, and he pulled on his own jacket, then grabbed Naveed’s parka before heading outside, toward the woods.
Sameera looked down at her hands. She was cold, too. Why was she so cold? She was wearing her warmest sweater. Tom had on only a T-shirt. He had been so angry, and hurt. He blamed her, and with good reason. This was all her fault.
Her sister crouched down until they were at eye level. “Are you done beating yourself up?” Nadiya asked, and her steely tone brought Sameera back to the present, to this house, and to her sister’s serious, knowing gaze.
“Wh-what?” Sameera said.
“Would you like to continue wallowing in self-pity and recrimination for another ten minutes?” Nadiya asked.
“I did a bad thing . . .” Sameera started.
“Sameera, I love you, but you need to get over yourself.”
This startled a laugh out of Sameera, though what she really felt was shock. What was her sister saying?
“Tom’s reaction is not about you,” Nadiya said.
“He’s mad at his friend, the one who actually betrayed him.
I’ll bet he’s mad at his dad, too, because if you think Rob isn’t using this whole situation to get what he wants, I have some property on the moon I’d love to tell you about.
Maybe he’s a bit pissed at you, too, but you’re at the very bottom of that list, believe me. ”
“This isn’t . . . You don’t understand,” Sameera said, holding back her tears. “Tom is mad at me for not being loyal. He said so.”
“Maybe he was mad for a second. Because he needed to be mad at someone, and you were right there, telling him what he didn’t want to hear about a man he considers his blood.
Now he’s outside in the cold, feeling angry and sad, but at least he’s dealing with his shit.
” Nadiya’s voice was unflinching and stark, threaded with compassion.
“And, babe, it’s time you did the same. It’s time for you to have the conversation you’ve been avoiding for years now. ”
Nadiya stood up, and Sameera could see Tahsin and Naveed hovering behind, twin expressions of worry and confusion on their faces.
Her sister helped Sameera up. “Don’t think about Tom.
Don’t think about Andy. Don’t even worry about Christmas brunch,” her sister whispered in her ear before giving her a little shove toward their parents.
Sameera took a deep, shuddering breath.
“Beta, are you all right?” Naveed asked.
“What has happened to Tom?” Tahsin added. “Is Andy okay?”
Nadiya was right. Nothing else mattered, and this conversation was long past due.
She took another breath and, for the first time in a long time, said “Bismillah,” or “In the name of God.” The expression Muslims spoke before they began anything, from eating to drinking to saying the hard thing to their family.
“Mom, Dad, can we talk?”