‘Yeah. There’s supposed to be a dump tonight but I think it’s coming in faster than they expected,’ Ari said, looking out too.

‘I’ve got a rad idea – why don’t we take a day off from the park and just go catch some pow?’ Beau suggested as Kit got up and walked over to the window. He looked out, pressing one hand to the glass, his body silhouetted against the light.

‘Lifts are still open,’ Ari said, checking the app on his phone. ‘But the winds are picking up from eleven.’

‘We could make some fresh tracks, head back early,’ Beau chipped in.

‘Mmm.’ Kit’s finger tapped the glass restlessly as he considered the idea. He didn’t seem enthused. ‘I’m not feeling it. It’s gusting already. By the time we get up there . . . Do we really want a day of chewing on ice?’

‘Oh c’mon!’ Beau cried. ‘Don’t be such a pussy!’

Kit ignored his brother, looking back at Ari. ‘We could go to the ball pits.’

‘Yeah sure; whatever you wanna do. It’s all there, ready.’

Kit pushed away from the glass, nodding, looking more convinced. ‘Yeah. Let’s get in there then. I want to embed the 1260, get some muscle memory fired up. I can’t do that in these conditions. The wind’s just gonna whip in our faces.’

‘Or we could just free-ride,’ Beau argued. ‘If the weather’s against us, let’s just chill and enjoy the mountain.’

‘Enjoy the mountain?’ Kit frowned.

‘How’s your brother gonna do what you’re so sure he’s gonna do, if he loses a day to that?’ Ari suddenly snapped, making them all jump. ‘Kit doesn’t get to arse around like you, Beau. He has to train. People expect from him. Saas-Fee’s in a few days and we already know all eyes are on him. You saw how it was out there yesterday! Your job is to help keep him focused, not encourage him to take a day cos you’re hung.’

There was a moment of silence, tension billowing, before Beau pushed his chair back sharply and got up. ‘Yeah, yeah.’

‘. . . So are you coming?’ Kit called after him as Beau strode from the room, taking the stairs two at a time.

Four seconds later, his bedroom door slammed. A silence bloomed in his wake.

‘He’ll come,’ Kit said to Ari.

Ari nodded, his gaze glancing over her and Johnny again. She sensed from his expression that he had forgotten they were there. That they all had.

Ari glanced at Kit and cleared his throat. ‘So we’re going to do an indoor training session today,’ he said to them, as though the point may have been lost on them.

‘Okay,’ Clover smiled. ‘Thanks for the heads up, we’ll bring some lighting then.’