Chapter Text
~ October 13 2014 ~
Jackie Simard Pike prided herself on many things. In no particular order; she was a mother to two beautiful daughters, a loving, supportive wife, an accomplished, successful copywriter, and a dedicated friend. Unfortunately, it was in pursuit of that last role that she sometimes did things she wasn’t exactly proud of. Or rather, things she shouldn’t be proud of.
It was Thanksgiving of 2014, not that lame American Thanksgiving, but real Thanksgiving, Canadian Thanksgiving. Usually Shane spent the day with his parents, but the Metros just got back from a road trip the day before, so Jackie was more than happy to have him over to share the holiday with them. Ruby and Jade loved spending time with their Uncle Shane, so it was a win all around.
Dinner had wound down, the girls were amusing themselves in their playroom, and Jackie was sat at the table with Hayden and Shane, enjoying conversation while putting off having to clean up. It didn’t escape her notice that all throughout the day, including during dinner, Shane’s attention kept drifting to his phone, even shooting off two or three texts after reading something that made him break out in a furious blush. It meant only one thing: Lily.
Honestly, it was kind of cute that Shane thought Lily was a secret. For nearly four years, Shane had been texting a girl he met in Boston named Lily, and he thought nobody knew about her. Hayden had first told Jackie about her a few months in when the texts first began. During the season, in the locker room, during away games – particularly away games in Boston – during the off-season, and on days off, Shane’s phone would buzz, he would smile, blush, bite his lip, and send off a text. Excuses were made, transparent stories and lies were told, but everyone knew the truth. Shane had found someone special, but for some reason wasn’t sure what to do about it.
While Jackie found it undeniable cute, the shy All-Star captain of an MLH original six being confused about falling for a girl, it was also unbelievably frustrating. Shane was Hayden’s best friend, and as Hayden’s wife, Jackie deserved to get to know the woman. Honestly, Shane was practically Hayden’s brother, so this woman could very well become family one day. If there was one thing Jackie didn’t play around with, it was family.
So, in the name of family, Jackie stole Shane’s phone when he went to help Hayden put the girls down for their afternoon nap. Really, if he didn’t want her swiping it, he should have taken it with him. It only took her a few seconds to unlock it – Shane really needed to stop using 1410 for everything – go to contacts, and send herself Lily’s contact info. She chose to ignore the fact that Shane’s most recent text was displayed and read, ‘If I win Thursday, you have to wear only my jersey.’ She didn’t want to think about her honorary brother-in-law like that.
Jackie really wasn’t proud of herself, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Lily was clearly someone important, and this was for Shane’s own good. Jackie was just being a good friend. At least, that’s what she told herself.
Jackie watched the bubbles flicker for several minutes, before disappearing all together. Shit, she had really stepped in it. She should have known it was stupid to try to reach out to Lily. Shane didn’t tell them about her for a reason, but she just had to get nosy. Lily was probably very private. She just hoped she hadn’t fucked this up for Shane, he really seemed to like her.
Jackie smiled, she liked Lily already. She could tell why Shane liked her too. Lily was funny, and she was quick, sarcastic. It had only been one conversation, but Jackie just knew that Lily was good for Shane. Obviously private, maybe a little insecure, but ironically, seemed like she could be the one person to get Shane out of his comfort zone, out of his shell.
“What’s got you so happy? Should I be jealous?”
Jackie looked up to see Hayden leaning against the doorframe.
“Oh, just my friend making fun of her boyfriend. Are the girls still asleep?”
“They’re out like logs. Fingers crossed they stay that way all night.” Hayden said, sliding into bed next to her, settling his arm around her waist. “You don’t make fun of me to your friends, do you?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Babe”
They text sporadically over the next couple of weeks. Despite Lily initially agreeing to a new tentative text friendship, it’s clear she’s hesitant to do so. She was guarded, often reverting to humor – and Lily was very funny – instead of actually answering a question. At least a question about herself. She freely gave her raw, honest opinion on pretty much any other topic. Her girl talk could use some work too. Though to be fair, she did say she was “never good a girl talk, but would give it a try for Jackie’s sake.”
Jackie didn’t mind the jokes and frankly odd attempts at girl talk though; it was just nice to talk with another adult. It really wasn’t healthy for her only adult conversations to be with either her mother, sister, or husband. Her mommy group tended to always revert back to talking about their children, and with her working from home, she didn’t really get to interact with co-workers. The Metros WAGs chat was often fun, but she wasn’t as close to the other WAGs as she had hoped when Hayden first joined the team. It'd be nice to have a WAG who was an actual friend.
Chatting with Lily from time to time and slowly getting to know her was fun. Getting to learn about a whole new side of Shane was fun too.
~ November 23 2014 ~
~ January 2 2015 ~
Jackie could help but smile when just one day later, she received a photo of all four books on a blue comforter.
~ February 9 2015 ~
That girl was smitten, Jackie was more convinced of it than ever. And Shane was just as bad. Sure he still had yet to actually mention Lily to them, but Hayden said that he practically starts glowing the second a new Lily text comes in. Hell, she’d seen it first hand a couple times. So what on The Lord and Savior Terry Fox’s green earth, was stopping them from seeing they were perfect for each other?
~ March 11 2015 ~
Montreal games in Ottawa were always some of Jackie’s favorites. She often attended games at home, but rarely got to go to away games given the sheer amount of travel time they required. Ottawa, however, was only about two hours away and was a nice excuse for a mini getaway in the middle of the season. And thankfully her parents were always happy to take the girls for some quality grandparent time.
Ottawa games also meant getting to see Yuna and David Hollander. As much as Jackie loved Shane, she was pretty sure she loved his parents more. The moment Hayden had befriended Shane, it was like the Hollanders had accepted both Hayden and Jackie as members of their extended family. If you cared about Shane, or more importantly, if Shane cared about you, then you were instantly good in the Hollanders’ eyes. They had all the benefits of being an extra set of parents, without the burden of being her actual in-laws, or her own wonderful parents who sometimes still saw her as their baby girl. All this was to say when Yuna called to insist that she and Hayden come to their place for dinner the evening before the game, Jackie was all too happy to accept. David was a fantastic cook after all.
Something else about the Hollanders, there was nothing on earth they loved more or were prouder of than their son. And they were not afraid to show it.
Jackie was grateful Hayden was in their hotel’s shower, because she did not need him to hear her snort, their marriage still deserved a bit of mystery. Plus it would have just raised questions. She really wasn’t in the mood to explain just how she knew that Shane’s not-girlfriend was a funny weirdo, perfect for their funny weirdo of a friend.
~ May 10 2015 ~
“I just wish Shane would come out with us. I get it’s playoffs and he’s locked in, but the team is on fire, and we have a week until round three starts. He can come out for one night” Hayden said, pushing the button for the lobby.
Jackie loved her husband more than life itself, but sometimes he was as dumb as a rock. Montreal had just knocked the Raiders out of the playoffs in the second round, four games to two, and in front of the Boston fans no less. Now she and Hayden were on their way to meet the rest of the team, minus Shane, and a handful of the other WAGs who made the trip, to celebrate.
“Babe, you guys just advanced to the conference finals, it’s his birthday, and we’re in Boston. Do you really think he wants to celebrate with us tonight?”
Jackie knew for a fact that Shane was going to be otherwise occupied. Lily’s text popped up not long after the game finished, bemoaning that now she was going to owe him something extra special. Her creative use of emojis at the end belied her complaints though. A night out at a club with his team, who Shane saw pretty much every day, was not going to hold a candle to whatever Lily had planned for him, of that Jackie was sure.
Hayden shook his head and sighed. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right. But still…”
Jackie was just about to tease her husband about wanting his best friend to pass up a night with the girl of his dreams, when they reached the ground floor and the elevator doors opened to reveal Ilya Rozanov. Standing there with his head down, smiling at his phone with a card key in hand, Rozanov certainly didn’t look like a captain who had just been knocked out of the playoffs on home ice.
“Rozanov? What the fuck are you doing here?” Hayden blurted. Instinctively, Jackie squeezed his hand, praying he didn’t do anything to start a fight.
Rozanov’s head snapped up, the smile he’d being giving to his phone shifting into one far cockier.
“Not sure it is any of your business, Pike, but I’m going to suite I just rented for night.” He said with a smirk.
“Suite? Why do you need a suite? You live here.”
“I do, yes,” Rozanov said, stepping past them to enter the elevator, “but I have plans to drown my sorrows after loss with most unbelievably gorgeous creature you ever seen. Maybe I don’t invite people back to my home all the time. Maybe I want night to be special.”
Hayden sneered, and Jackie squeezed his hand again.
“Enjoy your evening, Pike. Always a pleasure to see you, Lady Pike.” Rozanov added with a wink just as the elevator doors closed.
“Honestly, I feel bad for the poor girl.” Hayden said with a shake, as if trying to rid himself of Rozanov and their interaction. “First the asshole calls her a creature, then he can’t even do the bare minimum, relegating her to a hotel hook-up. And why does it have to be our hotel?”
“I don’t know,” Jackie said, leaning up to kiss Hayden’s cheek, “it’s probably smart not letting just anyone know where he lives. He is pretty famous after all. Plus, the suites here are really nice….”
Hayden blanched. “Not my own wife siding with Rozanov!” Jackie could only shrug. “Whatever, I’m not going to let him ruin the night. Metros are one step closer to the Cup. Let’s go, Babe!”
Jackie laughed, and let Hayden pull her through the lobby and towards the car waiting to take them to the club, all thoughts of Rozanov, and Shane’s plans with Lily, forgotten.
~ August 6 2015 ~
Jackie quickly made a note to herself. Once Shane and Lily finally got some sense and made it official, never leave Lily alone with Ruby and Jade.