Chloe was going to confront Logan and Jack.

Right now.

She huffed up the stairs to the Winters' flat in South Kensington, clutching the stitch in her side. Good god. At this rate, Chloe would hardly be able to sing along to "O Come All Ye Faithful," let alone shout at the boys. She needed to go to more SoulCycle classes, ASAP.

She paused outside the door, listening.

Nope. No carols. The party must not have started yet.

Chloe glanced at her watch. She was 30 minutes early— good. Jack and Logan would be here, but the other guests wouldn't have arrived yet.

Exactly as she planned.

Chloe shifted the box of peanut butter cookies, slamming the brass knocker. Something was going on with the Winters boys. She was sure of it now. Logan's odd behaviour, Jack's disastrous performance on University Challenge... it was all part of something bigger.

She felt like an idiot for not seeing it.

She squared her shoulders. She would chain both boys to the Christmas tree with ribbon if she had to; they were telling her. Tonight.

The door swung inwards.

"Chloe!"

Logan stood on the threshold. He was dressed in a black jumper with blinking red lights on it, carrying a glass of red wine. His blond hair was still damp from showering. He glanced at his watch, his eyebrows arching.

"You're early," he said.

"Am I?" Chloe blinked innocently. "I must have mixed up the times. Here." She shoved the box of peanut butter cookies into his hands. "These are for you."

"What are they?"

"Cookies," she said.

Obviously.

Logan seemed to accept this answer. He clutched the box protectively to his chest, pushing the door open wider.

"Well, come on in," he said.

Chloe settled at the island as Logan poured her a glass of wine. Across the kitchen, Jack was typing away furiously on a laptop. His jumper — green, with a snowman on it — was equally as garish, although it looked more expensive.

Odd.

"Where are Laura and Richard?" she asked.

"On their way." Logan passed her the wine. "They're coming straight from the airport; they flew to Spain for a mini break."

Chloe rolled her eyes. Of course they did. She scooped up her wine, wandering closer to Jack's make-shift office area.

"You're not drinking?" she asked Jack.

He shook his head. "Still working."

"On what? Solving world hunger?"

Jack glared at her. "Hilarious."

"Seriously," Chloe said, tilting her head. "What is it?"

Because whatever it was, it looked quite serious. Especially if Jack wasn't drinking. Sheets of paper were scattered around the table, struck through with red pen marks. An empty mug weighed down a thick folder. Jack caught her looking and snatched up several sheets, shuffling them furtively.

"None of your business," he said.

Chloe blinked. Yup. Definitely weird.

"Chloe," Logan called. "Can you help me with this?"

He raised a wooden platter covered with cheese. Chloe didn't miss the grateful look that Jack shot his brother, and she pursed her lips. Fine. She'd play along.

"Of course, darling."

Both boys flinched. Good. Served them right.

Chloe busied herself with arranging the charcuterie board. Cheese, salami, olives, pickles, rosemary crackers — Laura had really pulled out all the stops. If this was what their little impromptu caroling night looked like, Chloe was terrified to see what would be served at the actual Christmas party.

Probably caviar.

And black truffles.

The doorbell rang.

"That'll be the band," Jack muttered.

Somehow, Chloe wasn't even surprised; of course Laura hired a band.

"I'll get it," Jack continued, rising to his feet. "Mum wants them to set up in the living room, right?"

"Yup."

Jack disappeared, leaving Chloe alone with Logan. Chloe braced herself. Then she downed the rest of her wine.

Screw it.

She was just going to do it.

"Can you pass the olives?" Logan asked politely. "Because I really think—"

Chloe kissed him.

She flung herself at him with enough force that they stumbled backwards, colliding with the refrigerator. Logan made a noise at the back of his throat. Surprise, maybe? His hands flew up to steady her, and Chloe could already feel him pulling away.

She growled.

Like hell.

She grabbed a fistful of his jumper, pulling him closer. Logan made a strained noise, his hands sliding under her jumper. Almost automatically. As if he couldn't bear not to.

"Chloe," he gasped. "We can't."

But he wanted to. Oh, he wanted to — Chloe was sure of it. She could feel the way his heart was racing, the way his warm fingers were digging into the bare skin of her lower back. His face was flushed with desire.

So why the hell was he stopping?

She nibbled on his lip experimentally, and he groaned. She could taste chocolate orange and heat and something spicy, and it was driving her mad. She wanted more. More of him. More of whatever this was.

But she wasn't about to get it.

Chloe sighed internally. Three seconds.

His fingers stilled on her back.

Two.

He pushed her back slightly.

One.

He broke away.

"Chloe," he gasped. "Seriously, stop."

She deflated slightly, stepping back. She had called it; he didn't want to kiss her. Just like the other two times. But why?

Jack was preoccupied helping the band set up. His parents weren't home. Sure, guests were going to arrive soon, but come on; since when had that ever stopped any normal, hormonal young man?

Chloe bit her lip.

"Why?" she challenged.

"I told you," he said. "I want to wait."

"I'm not an idiot," she growled. "What's going on?"

He knew what she meant. Chloe could see it on his face. His eyes darted around the kitchen, like a frightened rabbit looking for an escape.

"I should..." He swallowed. "The band probably needs help."

"With what?"

"Moving things." He was already edging towards the door. "Speakers. Instruments. Other heavy musical objects."

"Jack can handle it."

He flinched. "I'll just be a second, okay?"

Logan high-tailed it down the corridor. Chloe sighed, slumping back against the refrigerator. Well, so much for confronting the boys. That plan was out the window.

Her eyes fell on the kitchen table.

Unless...

Slowly, Chloe approached the table, trailing her hand over the sea of papers. She shouldn't look. It was a terrible invasion of privacy. Jack would absolutely kill her.

But she couldn't help herself.

She picked up the nearest sheet. Two columns of black text filled the page, typed in standard Times New Roman. Chloe scanned it quickly. Something about a meeting in a pub and an elf on a unicycle. What the hell going on?

Chloe picked up another sheet. Then she froze.

A bold headline took up the upper-third of the page. Chloe sank into a chair, forcing herself to read it again. And again. Until the words were engraved into her brain.

"No Two Are Alike: Identical Twins Switch Places for the Holidays!"

An article by Logan Winters.