Page 61 of The Long Game
Ilya shared alookwith Jackie.
“Come on.” Ilya offered her his hand. “I will help you to the car.”
She tried to move her swollen ankle, then winced.
“Are you sure it is not broken?” Ilya asked.
“It’s not broken. It just hurts.”
She reached for his shoulder, and Ilya decided to make this easier for her. He bent and hovered one hand near her bent knees. “May I?”
“Go for it.”
Ilya lifted her into his arms. She wasn’t a tall woman, but she was fit and strong. He was still able to lift her easily.
“Hey, I can do that!” Hayden insisted as he strode across the room.
“Good grief, Hayden,” Jackie said. “Just get the door.”
Ilya carried Jackie to the Pikes’ SUV and helped her get comfortable in the back with her leg elevated across the seat. Shane exited the house with all four kids trailing behind him.
“You good?” Hayden asked her as he got into the driver’s seat.
“Do you have her health card?” Ilya asked.
“Shit.”
“It’s in my purse,” Jackie said. “On the kitchen counter.”
“Got it,” Shane said, jogging back to the house.
The kids swarmed the car, asking a million questions at once.
“I’m fine,” Jackie assured them. “Mommy just needs a doctor to look at her ankle. He’ll patch me up and I’ll be good as new!”
“But you were going to paint our nails,” one of the twin girls—Ruby, Ilya was pretty sure—said with a pout.
“I can do that later,” Jackie promised her.
“I can do it,” Ilya said. He looked at Ruby and tapped a finger against his lips. “Wait. What color?”
“Purple. With sparkles. And pink. And blue.”
He smiled. “No problem.”
Shane returned with the purse, and handed it to Jackie.
“Thank you for doing this,” Jackie said. “I know we ruined your day.”
“Not ruined,” Ilya said honestly. “Just more interesting.”
Amber, the youngest Pike child, started crying when Ilya tried to close the car door.
“Oh, sweetie,” Jackie said. “It’s okay. Mommy will be home soon and you’ll have so much fun with Uncle Ilya.”
“Uncle Ilya?” Hayden grumbled.
Ilya picked Amber up and smiled at her. “Shane told me that you are a great chef.”
