Chloe looked in the mirror glumly.

Ah, bollocks.

The neon orange ski pants swallowed her legs in their monstrous jaws. With her green top, Chloe looked like a jack-o-lantern. Like a very short, humiliated squash. Behind her, Rowan made a noise of sympathy.

"Well, they're not that bad."

"Yes, they are."

"You could try another pair."

Chloe half-twisted around, exasperated. "I'm not sure if there's anything left in the store, at this point."

They had spent the last hour combing through Alpine Grove in an effort to find ski pants that didn't make Chloe look like a bowling ball. Ten pairs of ski pants, two minor meltdowns and a frustrated sales assistant later, and it seemed that it was all for nought.

Chloe glared up at the promotional photo of a happy couple frolicking in the snow.

Stupid, smiling woman in her cute ski pants. How the hell did she manage to look so good in waterproof trousers?

"Maybe you could belt them," Rowan suggested.

"Belt them?"

"You know." Rowan mimed cinching the waistband. "To make them more flattering."

"I'll be wearing a winter jacket over top."

"Oh, yeah." Rowan deflated. "That's right."

"Oh, I give up," Chloe sighed. "This whole thing is pants." She shucked off the offending garment. "There's no way to look cute in them."

Rowan smirked. "Ski pants are pants?"

"Oh, shut-up."

Chloe looked at the neon orange ski pants morosely. When Logan texted her yesterday to invite her skiing, Chloe had been over the moon. She had been to Switzerland with the Winters once before — almost five years ago, now — and it had been a week of cheese fondue, après-ski drinks, and daring each other to roll around in the snow before jumping in the hot tub.

Unfortunately, Chloe had forgotten to take her outfit into account.

"Maybe I should just stay in the lodge," Chloe sighed. "Play Scrabble with Jack."

Jack notoriously hated skiing. He had fallen off a T-bar when he was twelve and claimed to be too traumatized to try it again. Chloe and Logan, on the other hand, shared a love for going off-piste and through forested trails.

Well, Chloe thought glumly, at least she would be easy to follow through the trees in these ski pants. Like the tail lights of a tractor. Or bike reflectors at night.

"Don't be stupid," Rowan told her. "Logan won't care."

"Yes, he will."

"Boys never notice these things."

"Logan will," Chloe said. "He loves fashion."

"Oh, yeah." Rowan's face fell. "Well, there must be something here." She began to rifle through the nearest clothing rack, shoving aside lime green fabric. "Maybe we should try a children's store. You are quite short, you know."

Chloe sighed. Oh, please, god, no; she cast her eyes desperately around the store. There must be something here. If she had to show up to Les Deux Alpes in ski pants with little unicorns on them, she would die. On the spot.

Her eyes landed on a familiar brunette.

"Kate?" she asked, surprised.

The brunette spun around. She was holding up a black jacket that looked at least six sizes too big for her.

"Chloe!"

She made her way over to them, and Chloe couldn't help but be envious at the way she glided effortlessly around clothing racks, her dark ponytail swinging. She was like a god damn Victoria's Secret model. It was so unfair.

"What on earth are you doing here?" she asked.

Kate pulled a face. "Christmas shopping." She held up the jacket. "For my brother. He's off to Canada in February for a ski holiday. What about you?"

Chloe explained the situation. Kate's face grew more and more horrified until Chloe was certain that it would freeze that way. Her eyes darted to the offending orange ski pants.

"An hour?" Kate demanded. "That's how long you've been here for?"

"Yup."

"Good for you." Kate shook her head. "I would have given up after ten minutes."

Chloe hid a smile. Kate struck her as the type of person that had never once waited for the onions to soften before adding the other ingredients, and likely never would.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Chloe said quickly, gesturing to Rowan. "This is my flatmate Rowan, by the way. Row, this is Kate. She works with Logan."

Rowan perked up. "So this is Kate."

Chloe shot her a hard look. Christ. Rowan was about as subtle as the orange ski pants. When Chloe had told her about running into Kate at Winter Wonderland, she hadn't meant for Rowan to go running her mouth off about it.

But alas.

Fortunately, Kate looked amused. "Whatever Logan's told you about me, I can promise that none of it is true."

"Oh, not Logan," Rowan said, waving her off. "Jack."

"Jack?"

"I think he fancies you," Chloe cut in, shooting Rowan a stop-talking-now look. "He was definitely flirting with you the other night."

Kate blinked. "Was he?"

"Just a little."

"Huh." Kate shifted the jacket. "That's... surprising."

She was clutching the jacket like a life preserver. Chloe winced. Oh, god; Jack had really made a mess of things, hadn't he? What the hell was he thinking, storming out of the bar like that? No wonder Kate thought he hated her.

Chloe decided to do him a solid.

Just this once.

"Look," she said, "why don't I give you his number?" She pulled out her phone. "I know Jack has an — um — interesting way of flirting, but he really likes you. Trust me."

She was certain of it; Jack had looked at Kate the way that a starving man looked at a candy bar. Which was rare. Come to think of it, Jack never looked at anyone that way. Not since they were really young, anyways.

Chloe frowned. Her throat suddenly felt a bit tight, and she rubbed at it absently. Hang on. Was she upset that Jack fancied Kate?

No.

Okay, well, yes, a little — but it made sense. Jack was her best friend, after all. Naturally, Chloe was protective of him. That's all it was.

Kate bit her lip. "Oh, I don't know."

"Come on." Chloe held out a hand. "Give me your phone. I'll put it in for you."

"You should do it," Rowan chimed in. "He really does like you."

Kate toyed with the sleeve of the jacket. She had an odd expression on her face, like she was trying to puzzle something out. Chloe frowned. It was almost as if — and she felt insane even thinking this — Kate knew something she didn't.

But what?

"Alright, then," Kate said, handing over her phone. "Put it in."

Chloe did so. Her throat felt even tighter as she punched in the digits. At this rate, she wouldn't be able to breathe for much longer.

What the hell was wrong with her?

"Thanks," Kate said, stuffing the phone in her pocket. "I'll text him."

"Good."

It was good, Chloe told herself firmly. Jack deserved to be happy. And Kate was nice — he could do a lot worse.

"Not to be rude," Kate continued, her eyes on the orange ski pants, "but you're not actually thinking of buying those, are you?"

Chloe flushed. "They're the only ones in my size."

Curse her short legs. And curse clothing companies for only making ugly clothes for short people; it was discrimination.

Kate grinned. "Don't worry," she said. "I know the owner; he keeps petite sizes in the back." She swiveled towards the cash register. "Oi, Sampson! Can we get some ski pants in an extra-extra-small, please?"

Chloe was immediately overwhelmed with a selection of ski pants in shockingly ordinary colours. She ended up selecting a pair of form-fitting black ski pants with braces. Surprisingly, they actually gave her a figure. It was a Christmas miracle.

"Thank you," Chloe breathed. "You've saved me." She clutched Kate's arm. "Seriously. I'm indebted to you for life."

Something like guilt flashed across Kate's face. "It's nothing."

"No, it's—" Chloe broke off, nibbling her lip. "Look, can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"I've actually just started seeing Logan," she confessed sheepishly. "I was dreading wearing those orange ski pants in front of him."

Kate's face went white. "You're dating him?"

"Yeah."

"Logan," she repeated. "Logan Winters?"

Chloe shrugged. "Well, it's still pretty new," she said slowly. "We've only actually been on one date so far. But, yeah. I'm seeing him."

She couldn't help but smile like an idiot. Skating with Logan the other day had been much more natural than she was expecting, actually. She felt like she already knew him. That was a good sign, wasn't it?

Kate made a choking noise.

"Wonderful," she breathed. "That's so wonderful."

Chloe got the sense that she thought it was anything but wonderful. Maybe Kate had heard the rumours about him sleeping around.

Yes. That was probably it.

"As I said, early days."

Kate gave her an unconvincing smile. "Well, I hope it all works out."