Chapter Text
8:32 AM
The cottage was louder with six extra people in it. Ilya had always liked loud things. Loud music. Conversations that edged dangerously close to arguments. A packed arena roaring for his team. He liked noise that had energy behind it, noise that made a place feel alive. So it wasn’t unpleasantly loud, he had decided.
But it was still constantly loud.
There was always a door opening somewhere, a child calling for someone from another room, bare feet thudding across the wooden floor, or Hayden saying something that Ilya felt morally obligated to make fun of.
They were three days into the Pikes’ week-long visit, and somehow the place already looked as though they had all been living there for months.
Tiny sandals were piled near the front door. Towels hung over the deck railing to dry in the sun. A collection of plastic cups had migrated permanently to the kitchen counter. Someone had abandoned a small green dinosaur on the stairs, and Ilya had nearly killed himself on it twice.
His routine had also gone completely to hell. Ilya lifted his coffee and took a sip. Cold.
He grimaced.
Normally, he would have put it in the microwave. Shane hated when he did that. Every single time, his nose would scrunch up in disgust as though reheated coffee were one of Ilya’s more offensive personal habits.
That’s disgusting.
Ilya could practically hear him saying it. He looked at the mug for another second, then dumped the remaining coffee into the sink.
Fine.
He deserved a fresh one. His third of the morning. With this many people in his house, he was going to need all the energy he could get.
While the machine worked, he looked through the kitchen window. Outside, the late-July sun was already bright over the water. The lake was almost perfectly still, the surface occasionally disturbed by a small ripple near the dock. Closer to the cottage, Hayden was standing behind the open trunk of the car, attempting to fit an absurd amount of stuff inside.
He moved one bag. Turned another sideways. Took something out. Put something else in. Then tried the first bag again.
Ilya watched him play luggage Tetris with the intensity of someone preparing an expedition across the Arctic.
“This is incredible,” he said.
Jackie looked up from where she was slicing strawberries at the counter.
“What?”
“Your husband.”
Jackie didn’t even bother turning toward the window. “What did he do now?”
“Is he expecting to encounter challenges like he’s on Survivor?”
That got her to look. She glanced outside, then shrugged.
“That’s probably on me. I hate forgetting something when we have the kids.” She went back to the strawberries. “Although, I guess they can just buy whatever they’re missing once they get there.”
“But they are going to Montreal for only one night.”
Jackie smiled.
“With two children.”
“Two children. Not newborn babies.”
From outside came Hayden’s voice. “Ruby! Did you put your water bottle in your backpack?”
A muffled response followed.
“What?”
Another response.
“Then where is it?”
At that exact moment, Ruby came through the kitchen. Without even looking up from the cutting board, Jackie reached to the side, picked up a water bottle, and extended her arm into Ruby’s path. Ruby grabbed it without breaking stride.
“Thanks, Mom!”
The screen door slammed behind her. Ilya slowly raised his eyebrows at Jackie.
“What would they do without you? Drought. Complete dehydration.”
Jackie snorted.
The coffee machine finished, and Ilya poured himself a fresh cup just as the screen door opened again. Shane stepped inside, already dressed for the day in shorts, a T-shirt, and sneakers. His sunglasses were pushed up into his hair.
“Have either of you seen Jade’s hat?”
“Which hat?” Jackie asked.
“The blue one.”
“On the bench by the front door.”
Shane immediately turned around. A few seconds later, he came back carrying not only the blue hat, but an umbrella tucked under one arm, a fanny pack in one hand, and some granola bars in the other.
The granola bars had come from the enormous Costco box they’d bought before coming to the cottage and deliberately left near the entrance for easy child access. Shane passed Ilya.
Enjoying the first actually hot sip of his new coffee, he simply looked at everything in Shane’s arms. Then at Shane.
Do you really need all of that?
Shane apparently understood the look perfectly.
“We’re taking two kids to Montreal overnight.”
“Yes. I know. Very dangerous journey.”
“We’re also hiking up Mont-Royal.”
Ilya stared at him. Shane stared back.
“You are calling that a hike?”
“Hayden is calling it a hike.”
From outside, Hayden shouted, “It is a hike!”
Ilya leaned toward the open window.
“IT IS A HILL!”
“It’s a mountain!”
“It is named mountain. This is not same thing!”
Jackie was laughing now, shoulders shaking as she continued cutting strawberries. Shane smiled.
“No, he’s kind of right,” he admitted. “It’s more of an uphill walk with a lot of stairs. The girls will be fine.”
The whole plan had started with the Cirque du Soleil tickets.
Hayden and Jackie had bought them months ago as a surprise for the twins, who had recently become obsessed with gymnastics and had apparently spent most of the spring attempting increasingly dangerous tricks in their basement.
When Shane and Ilya invited the Pikes to spend a week at the cottage during the off-season, Jackie and Hayden had initially hesitated because of the tickets.
Ilya had solved that problem immediately.
So go. We keep Arthur and Amber.
Jackie had felt slightly guilty about accepting what amounted to free babysitting in the middle of their visit, so she had suggested Shane go to Montreal with Hayden and the twins.
It had been a while since Shane and Hayden had spent any real time together, especially since Shane’s move to the Centaurs.
Shane had tried not to look too pleased by the suggestion. Ilya knew him better than that, he had always loved the Cirque du Soleil.
His parents had been fans, and Shane lliving in Montreal had meant Yuna rarely passed up an opportunity to buy tickets when a show came to the Old Port. Some of Shane’s best memories were them going together.
So, yes. Shane was excited.
Hayden, meanwhile, was thrilled to have his best friend to himself for a day or two.
Their enthusiasm had somehow expanded the outing from Cirque du Soleil show into an entire Montreal excursion. They would walk around the city, make their way up Mont-Royal, have dinner, see the show, and then stay overnight rather than dragging two exhausted kids all the way back to the cottage afterward. The next morning, they would have breakfast in the city and drive back.
It was, Ilya had repeatedly pointed out, a spectacular amount of organization for four people to go watch acrobats. But the twins were thrilled. And, if Ilya was being fair, so was Shane. So Ilya was happy for them. Shane had been talking about the show almost as much as Jade and Ruby had.
Ilya had been invited.
Technically.
He had declined before Shane had even finished asking. He liked the twins. He loved them, actually. But he also liked the idea of spending twenty-four consecutive hours without Hayden Pike in his immediate vicinity. They were limits to friendship by association. A little break from their week of playing nice would be healthy for everyone. Besides, staying at the cottage meant staying with Jackie, Arthur, and Amber.
This was, in Ilya’s opinion, clearly the superior group.
Arthur thought Ilya was the funniest person alive, which proved that he was an intelligent child.Amber had decided sometime during the first day of the visit that Ilya belonged to her.
She regularly climbed into his lap without asking and demanded that he carry her places. Somehow, Ilya had also become her designated bedtime attendant. For the last two nights, he had been the one rocking her when she got sleepy, Amber curled against his chest while he talked quietly to her in Russian until her eyes finally closed.
Ilya had taken very well to his new position as professional baby rocker. Possibly too well.
And Jackie? Ilya had always liked Jackie.
She laughed at him without being intimidated by him, and she possessed the useful ability to tell when he was joking and when he was only pretending to joke. More importantly, she was perfectly willing to make fun of Hayden with him.It was one of her best qualities.
“Okay,” Hayden announced, coming through the screen door. “I think we have everything.”
“You have been saying this for forty minutes,” Ilya said.
“I have not.”
Jackie glanced at the clock.
“Thirty-two.”
Hayden looked betrayed.
“Whose side are you on?”
Jackie only shrugged, giving him a look that clearly said, Sorry, babe. He’s right.
Ilya pointed at her.
“She’s a smart woman. She knows the winning side.”
Hayden narrowed his eyes.
“I’m starting to regret leaving you two alone together.”
“You should,” Jackie said.
Shane’s head appeared through the open doorway.
His eyebrows rose.
“Can we just go now? There’s gonna be traffic on the 15.”
Hayden ignored him. He was still standing beside Jackie.
“You have my number.”
Jackie blinked at him.
“Yes, Hayden.”
“And the hotel.”
“Yes.”
“And Shane’s number.”
“I’ve had Shane’s number for about ten years, yes.”
“I know. I’m just saying—”
“Hayden.”
“What?”
“Stop. Or else I’m gonna enter witness protection so you can’t keep bothering me. Just go. You’ll be fine.”
From the kitchen table, Arthur looked up.
“What’s witness protection?”
Everyone paused.
Jackie closed her eyes.
Ilya answered immediately.
“Is when government gives you new identity when Mommy wants break from your dad. Or because dangerous criminals want to kidnap you.”
“Ilya,” Shane said.
“What? He asked.”
Arthur’s eyes widened with interest.
“Do you get a new name?”
“Yes.”
“Cool.” Arthur considered this seriously. “I think I would like to be called Bluey.”
From her spot on the living room floor, Amber immediately perked up at the familiar word and clapped her hands.
“Bluey!”
“No,” Hayden said firmly. “Not cool.”
“Sometimes very cool,” Ilya said.
Hayden pointed at him.
“This. This is exactly why I’m asking if you’re going to be okay.”
Jackie stared at her husband.
“You’re asking if Ilya is going to be okay?”
“I’m asking if all of you are going to be okay.”
Ilya put a hand over his heart.
“Hayden. I am deeply touched by concern. We will manage.”
“I’m not concerned about you.”
“Ah.”
“I’m concerned about what you’re going to teach my children while I’m gone.”
“Not gonna teach them nothing.”
Ilya turned toward Arthur, winked, then pressed one finger to his lips.
Shhh.
Arthur grinned. Hayden looked horrified.
Jackie abandoned him to go collect Amber from the living room.
The little girl was clutching the pink stuffed rabbit she had been carrying around all morning. As soon as Jackie returned to Ilya’s side, Amber stretched toward him, opening and closing her free hand in an insistent grabbing motion. Jackie transferred her into his arms.
Amber immediately settled against him. Ilya looked at Hayden.
“Look. You’re already replaced.”
Amber rested her head on Ilya’s shoulder.
Hayden sighed. Jackie leaned in and kissed him.
“No, Daddy. You’re still the best. Go. Before you make the girls miss the show because you’re still checking emergency contacts.”
For half a second, Ilya’s mind wandered.
Daddy, you're still the best.
Hollander had said something remarkably similar last night.
After watching Ilya put Amber to sleep, Shane had apparently decided Ilya deserved some appreciation for his excellent caregiving skills.
And later, when they were alone…
Well.
Shane had also called him the best daddy while taking very good care of him.
Ilya blinked. No. Absolutely not.
Those were not thoughts he should be revisiting with a baby currently resting her head on his shoulder.
“We will not miss the show,” Hayden continued, pulling Ilya mercifully back into the conversation. “We have hours.”
“And apparently a mountain to climb,” Jackie said.
She gave Hayden a smack on the ass to get him moving.
Hayden finally started toward the door.
“Okay, everyone ready? Un, deux, trois, on y va!”
Two excited voices shouted yes from outside.
Shane looked at Hayden with increasing exasperation.
“Heille mon homme, c'est entrain d'être plus long se préparer à partir que de faire la route littéralement. Aweille, let's go.”
After spending so many years playing in Montréal, Shane and Hayden had both picked up French surprisingly quickly. And every once in a while, especially when Shane was annoyed or Hayden was being ridiculous, the Queb accent had a way of coming out of them.
Hayden picked up his backpack. Then he hesitated. Again.
Ilya groaned.
“Oh my God.”
“I’m going!”
“You have said goodbye six times.”
“I have not.”
“You have. It is becoming emotional.”
Hayden ignored him and crouched to hug Arthur.
“Be good for Mom, okay?”
Then he stood and reached for Amber. She immediately tightened her arms around Ilya’s neck.
“Seriously?”
“No,” Amber babbled.
Ilya’s expression became unbearably smug.
“You see?”
“I’m her father.”
Amber buried her face against Ilya’s shoulder.
“Apparently this means nothing.”
“Don’t encourage her.”
“I am not doing anything.”
“You’re smiling.”
“I have beautiful smile. Is natural.”
Hayden managed to kiss the back of Amber’s head anyway.
“Okay. Bye. Love you.”
“Love you too,” Jackie said.
Hayden made it three steps out the door. Then he turned around.
“Please, mettez pas le feu à la maison?”
Jackie and Ilya exchanged a look.
Jackie slipped her arm through Ilya’s free one.
“No, Daddy,” she said brightly. “And we won’t invite boys over. And we’ll brush our teeth before bed. And we won’t stay up late.”
“Yes,” Ilya agreed. “Quiet girls’ night.”
Hayden stared at him.
Ilya gestured between himself, Jackie, and Amber.
“Look. Three girls.”
Arthur stood up.
“What about me?”
Ilya considered him.
“You can be girl tonight.”
“Okay.”
“Perfect. Four girls.”
Shane laughed from outside. Hayden shook his head as he backed toward the car.
“This is going to be a disaster.”
“Have fun!” Jackie called.
“Enjoy mountain!” Ilya added.
“IT’S A HIKE!”
“IS A HILL!”
The car doors slammed. The twins waved enthusiastically through the windows as Shane pulled away from the cottage. Then the car disappeared between the trees.
For a few seconds, the cottage became strangely quiet.
Arthur looked up at them. Amber lifted her head from Ilya’s shoulder.
Ilya waited until the sound of Shane’s car had completely disappeared.
Then he turned to Jackie.
“So.”
Jackie looked at him.
“So.”
Ilya smiled slowly.
Before either of them could say anything else, Arthur threw both arms into the air.
“GIRLS’ NIGHT!”
Ilya nodded solemnly. “Yes. First, we make cocktails.”
Jackie raised an eyebrow. “Ilya, it’s nine AM.”
He looked toward the kitchen.
“Okay. We are responsible adults.” He sighed. “Maybe just cold coffee is good for now.”
Jackie laughed. Ilya looked down at Amber, then over at Arthur.
The cottage was theirs.
No Hayden checking bags. No Shane organizing everyone. No schedule. No plans at all.
Just Jackie, Ilya, two kids, and an entire day stretching out ahead of them.
“Let’s get this party started.”