The Winstead farm was decked out.It

The Winstead farm was decked out.
It looked like Santa threw up holiday cheer all over the grounds, but in a good way. Multicolored lights covered the split-­rail fence lining the driveway. Red, green, and blue twinkled off the barn, and the entire front of the house glimmered like a giant, square disco ball.
Jase chuckled as my eyes widened, which made me smile, because it was the first he’d laughed since we’d left the cemetery. “My parents go a little crazy during Christmas, especially because of Jack.”
A little? There was an inflatable Santa sitting off the right of the porch. On the roof, there were eight plastic reindeers. Rudolph, the ninth and most important reindeer, was MIA. A plastic Santa was perched on the chimney, complete with a bag of gifts.
There was a giant frosty snow globe, bubble thing in front of the porch. Through the large windows, I could see the lights from the Christmas trees. My parents tended to stick to the one Christmas light color theme, but I liked this better. There was something warmer about the chaos of lights.
“We’re going to leave the presents in the Jeep,” he said as we climbed out. “You know, Santa hasn’t arrived yet.”
I grinned. “Santa looks a little drunk on the roof.”
He looked up and laughed as the wind caused the plastic Santa to spin on the chimney. “That’s my kind of Santa.”
I lingered at the steps, dragging my boot in the dusting of snow. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here?”
Shooting me a look, he placed his hands on my shoulders and lowered his head so that we were eye level. “Of course. Mom and Dad are happy that you’re spending Christmas Eve with us, and they know you know the truth.” He smoothed a hand over my head and tucked my hair back behind my ear. “I think they’re more excited about you being here than me.”
I laughed. “That’s because I’m pretty damn amazing to have around.”
“That’s true.” Jase slanted his head, and his warm breath danced over my lips. I shivered, and his lips curled up. “Thank you for today. Seriously. I can’t say it enough. I don’t think I’d have been able to do it without you.”
I leaned forward and stretched up a little, brushing my cold nose against his. “You would’ve done it with or without me, but I’m glad I could be there. Really.” Having left my gloves in the Jeep, I placed my bare hand against his cheek, loving the feel of the slight stumble against my palm. “Are you okay?”
His thick lashes swept down. “You know, I didn’t think I’d feel any different, but I do. It’s not huge, but I feel good about it.” He placed his hand over mine as his other curved around the nape of my neck. “I think I owe you a thank-­you kiss.”
“You don’t owe me a thank-­you, but I’ll take the kiss anyway.”
He smiled as his lips brushed over mine once and then twice, as soft as the snowflakes falling around us. His hand held me in place as he coaxed my mouth open, teasing the seam with his tongue. Heat flowed through me, causing my muscles to tense when he flicked his tongue over the roof of my mouth.
This was the kind of thank-­you kiss I could get behind.
And Jase, well, he simply didn’t just kiss. He tasted. He devoured. He promised pleasure with his lips and teased of more to come with his tongue. The boy could offer a class on kissing. He made it an art form when he drew a soft moan from the depths of my core.
“Now, come on, son. I taught you better than to kiss a pretty gal out in the cold.” His father’s voice interrupted, spreading a hot flush across my face as Jase pulled back.
“I’m keeping her warm,” Jase replied, grinning. As I turned to shield my flaming face, because there was nothing like getting caught by your boyfriend’s parents when your knees were weak from kissing, I saw the lightness in Jase’s expression, a gleam to his silver eyes that had never been there before. “Right?”
I blinked slowly and murmured, “Right.”
His father grinned. “Come on. Yer mom has Jack in the kitchen, baking cookies for Mr. Santa.”
Jase winced as he reached down and took my hand and led me up on the porch. Oh. There was the ninth reindeer, standing guard by the door. “Is it a disaster?”
“Boy, it’s about as bad as you being in the kitchen.” He turned, holding the door open for us. “So, yeah, it’s a disaster.”
I laughed at the face Jase made. “Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you cook anything besides soup from a can yet.”
His father laughed as we stepped into the house. The room smelled of cookies and evergreen. “Honey, that is not something ya’ll want to see.”
“It’s not that bad.” Jase frowned as he stripped off his jacket. “I only melted the spatula in the Rice Krispie treats once.”
“Once?” I draped my jacket off the hook of a coat rack. “I think that’s more than enough.”
“What he ain’t telling you is that he also tried to feed it to his cousins.”
I laughed at the sheepish look that crossed Jase’s face. “Oh my God, are you serious?”
“What?” He shrugged as he dragged his toboggan off. “They didn’t eat it.”
“Only because it was as hard as a brick and could have killed someone,” his father replied, smiling. “My son is a lot of damn good things, but a cook ain’t one of them.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Jase!” shrieked Jack from the kitchen. “Tess!”
We turned just as Jack came barreling through the dining room. “Whoa, buddy! Slow down,” Jase said, stepping forward as Jack almost head butted the dining room table. “Jack, you’re gonna—­”
Sensing that Jack was about to make a kamikaze dive attempt, Jase knelt and caught his son the second he launched himself at him. He wrapped his arms around the boy, standing up. Jack clung to him, sinking his tiny hands into Jase’s hair.
“I made cookies for Mr. Santa!” Jack announced, holding fistfuls of hair. “They have chocolate in them and walnuts!”
“Is that so?” Jase turned slightly, holding his son close. My chest tightened at seeing them together. Even though Jack didn’t know the truth, you’d be hard-­pressed not to see the love between them. “What about peanut butter cups? You know that’s my favorite kind.”
“We have them, too. I ate a lot of them.” Jack grinned as he put his head on Jase’s shoulder.
“A lot?” Mr. Winstead snorted. “The boy ate about half the batch.”
The grin on Jack’s face spread, and then, seeing me, he let out another squeal. “Lemme down! Lemme down!”
Smiling, Jase lowered the kid’s swinging feet to the ground. The second he landed, he took off, wrapping his arms around my legs.
“Hey,” I said, messing up his already out-­of-­control hair. “You excited about Santa coming?”
“Yes! Daddy said Mr. Santa would be leaving soon!” He pulled back, grabbing my hand. “Come!”
I glanced over at Jase. He smiled and shrugged, lingering back with his father as Jack tugged me through the dining room.
The kitchen was a mess. Cookie batter covered the island and the countertops. Flour was on the floor and the egg shells filled bowls, but the smell of sugar goodness had me anticipating a heavenly sugar rush.
“Lookie who I found! Lookie!”
Mrs. Winstead turned, wiping her hands along the Christmas trees lining the bottom of her red apron. “Oh, honey, I’m so glad you’re here.” She strode over to me in the same long, purposeful strides Jase made. “Look at you,” she clucked, brushing a finger along my jaw, where I knew a bruise was still fading. “How have you been, honey?”
“Good.” I smiled as Jack slipped free and climbed up on a step stool that was pushed again the counter. He sunk his hand into cookie batter. “I’m doing really good.”
“I’m happy to hear that.” Her strong arms went around me, and she nearly squeezed the air out of me. “When Jase told me what—­” She glanced over to where Jack was rolling dough into balls. She lowered her voice. “I don’t want the little one to overhear, but I’m glad you’re okay and that—­”her voice dropped low—­“crazy son of a bitch is in jail.”
My lips twitched. “Me too.”
Mrs. Winstead shook her head sadly as she watched Jack plop a ball of batter onto a cookie sheet. “Just that poor girl . . .”
“I know.” I bit down on my lower lip. “I keep telling myself that at least there’s justice for Debbie now.”
Jack looked over his shoulder, a frown of curiosity on his cute face. “What’s justice?”
“When bad ­people have their comeuppance, baby. And that’s the good thing.” Mrs. Winstead smiled at me, and the lines around her eyes deepened. Her voice lowered again. “But that . . . that’s not all.”
Placing her hand on my shoulder, her chest rose with a deep, heavy breath. “I’m glad that you know—­that Jase told you.”
I didn’t know what to say. All I could do was nod, and Mrs. Winstead’s smile spread as Jack snuck a piece of dough. “Jase used to do that as a little boy too,” she said, blinking rapidly. “He ate more dough raw than he did cooked.”
“That’s when it’s at its best.” My voice was surprisingly hoarse.
She patted my shoulder. “You’re good for my boy, so damn good. He hasn’t gotten close to anyone since Kari, and you’ve gotten him to open up that heart of his. I know we haven’t had a chance to really get to know each other, but for that, you’ll always be like a daughter to me.”
Oh dear, I was going to cry.
Blinking back tears, I smiled and then I laughed. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to cry.”
Jack was turned around again. “Why you sad?”
“I’m not sad,” I quickly told him, smiling for his benefit. “I’m happy, really happy.”
He took my word for it and went back to the cookie dough. I wiped at my eyes and pulled myself together. “Thank you. That means a lot to me, and I would never jeopardize him,” I said, nodding at Jack’s back. “Or Jase’s heart.”
“That’s my girl.” Her eyes turned misty, and she cleared her throat. “Now, look at me. I’m about to start shedding tears, and that ain’t gonna do us any good, not when my boy is coming right in here.”

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Pertanian sendiri adalah mengenakan.Itu tampak seperti Santa melemparkan holiday bersorak seluruh Taman, tetapi dalam cara yang baik. Warna-warni lampu tertutup-pagar memisahkan lapisan jalan masuk. Merah, hijau, dan biru berbinar dari gudang, dan seluruh bagian depan rumah merekah seperti bola disko raksasa, persegi.Jase terkekeh sebagai mata saya melebar, yang membuat saya tersenyum, karena itu adalah yang pertama yang dia telah tertawa sejak kita meninggalkan pemakaman. "Orang tua saya pergi sedikit gila selama Natal, terutama karena Jack."Sedikit? Ada Santa tiup duduk off tepat serambi. Di atap, ada delapan plastik reindeers. Rudolph, rusa kesembilan dan yang paling penting, adalah MIA. Santa plastik bertengger di cerobong asap, lengkap dengan tas hadiah.Ada globe raksasa dingin salju, gelembung hal di depan balai. Melalui jendela yang besar, aku bisa melihat lampu dari pohon Natal. Orang tua saya cenderung berpegang tema warna cahaya Natal satu, tapi saya suka ini lebih baik. Ada sesuatu yang lebih hangat tentang kekacauan lampu."Kita akan meninggalkan hadiah di Jeep," katanya sambil kita naik keluar. "Kau tahu, Santa belum datang."Aku menyeringai. "Santa tampak sedikit mabuk atap."Dia mendongak dan tertawa sebagai angin yang disebabkan plastik Santa berputar pada cerobong asap. "Itu adalah jenis saya Santa."Saya bertahan di langkah-langkah, menyeret saya boot dalam debu salju. "Apakah Anda yakin tidak apa-apa bagi saya untuk berada di sini?"Shooting me a look, he placed his hands on my shoulders and lowered his head so that we were eye level. “Of course. Mom and Dad are happy that you’re spending Christmas Eve with us, and they know you know the truth.” He smoothed a hand over my head and tucked my hair back behind my ear. “I think they’re more excited about you being here than me.”I laughed. “That’s because I’m pretty damn amazing to have around.”“That’s true.” Jase slanted his head, and his warm breath danced over my lips. I shivered, and his lips curled up. “Thank you for today. Seriously. I can’t say it enough. I don’t think I’d have been able to do it without you.”I leaned forward and stretched up a little, brushing my cold nose against his. “You would’ve done it with or without me, but I’m glad I could be there. Really.” Having left my gloves in the Jeep, I placed my bare hand against his cheek, loving the feel of the slight stumble against my palm. “Are you okay?”His thick lashes swept down. “You know, I didn’t think I’d feel any different, but I do. It’s not huge, but I feel good about it.” He placed his hand over mine as his other curved around the nape of my neck. “I think I owe you a thank-­you kiss.”“You don’t owe me a thank-­you, but I’ll take the kiss anyway.”Dia tersenyum sebagai bibirnya disikat atas tambang sekali dan kemudian dua kali, lembut kepingan salju yang jatuh di sekitar kita. Tangannya diadakan di tempat seperti dia dibujuk saya Buka mulut, menggoda jahitan dengan lidahnya. Panas mengalir melalui saya, menyebabkan saya otot-otot tegang ketika dia menjentikkan lidahnya atas atap mulut saya.Ini adalah jenis terima kasih ciuman aku bisa di belakang.Dan Jase, Yah, dia hanya tidak hanya mencium. Dia merasakan. Ia dimakan. Dia berjanji kesenangan dengan bibirnya dan menggoda lebih untuk datang dengan lidahnya. Anak laki-laki dapat menawarkan pelajaran tentang berciuman. Dia membuat suatu bentuk seni ketika ia erangan lembut dari kedalaman inti saya.Sekarang, Ayolah, anak. Saya mengajar Anda lebih baik daripada untuk mencium seorang gadis cantik keluar dalam dingin." Suara ayahnya terganggu, menyebar flush panas di wajah saya sebagai Jase ditarik kembali."Saya menjaga hangat," Jase menjawab, menyeringai. Saat aku berbalik untuk melindungi wajah saya terbakar, karena ada tidak seperti tertangkap oleh orang tua pacar Anda ketika lutut Anda lemah mencium, kulihat ringan dalam ekspresi Jase's, kilau matanya perak yang belum pernah ada sebelumnya. "Benar?"Aku perlahan-lahan berkedip dan bersungut, "Benar."Ayahnya tersenyum. "Ayo. Yer ibu memiliki Jack di dapur, memanggang kue untuk Santa Tn.."Jase meringis sebagai dia mengulurkan tangan dan mengambil tangan saya dan membawa saya di beranda. Oh. Ada sembilan rusa, berdiri penjaga pintu. "Apakah itu bencana?""Boy, itu sekitar sebagai buruk sebagai Anda berada di dapur." Dia berbalik, menahan pintu terbuka bagi kita. "Jadi, ya, itu adalah sebuah bencana."Aku tertawa di wajah Jase dibuat. "Kalau dipikir-pikir itu, aku belum pernah melihat Anda memasak apa-apa selain sup dari kaleng belum."Ayahnya tertawa seperti yang kita melangkah ke dalam rumah. Kamar berbau kue dan evergreen. "Madu, itu bukanlah sesuatu yang akan mau lihat.""Hal ini tidak buruk." Jase mengerutkan kening karena ia menanggalkan jaket. "Saya hanya meleleh spatula di nasi Krispie memperlakukan sekali.""Sekali?" Saya tersampir jaket lolos dari rak mantel. "Saya pikir itu lebih dari cukup.""Apa yang dia tidak memberitahu Anda adalah bahwa ia juga mencoba untuk memberi makan sepupunya."Aku tertawa di tampilan bintang yang melintasi Jase di wajah. "Oh Tuhan, Apakah Anda serius?""Apa?" Ia mengangkat bahu saat dia menarikku toboggan nya. "Mereka tidak makan itu.""Hanya karena itu keras seperti batu bata dan bisa saja membunuh seseorang," ayahnya menjawab, tersenyum. "Anakku adalah banyak hal yang sangat bagus, tetapi seorang juru masak yang tidak salah satu dari mereka.""Terima kasih, ayah.""Jase!" menjerit Jack dari dapur. "Tess!"Kami berpaling seperti Jack datang meluncur melalui ruang makan. "Wah, buddy! Pelan-pelan,"Jase berkata, melangkah maju sebagai Jack hampir kepala butted meja makan. "Jack, you gonna —"Sensing that Jack was about to make a kamikaze dive attempt, Jase knelt and caught his son the second he launched himself at him. He wrapped his arms around the boy, standing up. Jack clung to him, sinking his tiny hands into Jase’s hair.“I made cookies for Mr. Santa!” Jack announced, holding fistfuls of hair. “They have chocolate in them and walnuts!”“Is that so?” Jase turned slightly, holding his son close. My chest tightened at seeing them together. Even though Jack didn’t know the truth, you’d be hard-­pressed not to see the love between them. “What about peanut butter cups? You know that’s my favorite kind.”“We have them, too. I ate a lot of them.” Jack grinned as he put his head on Jase’s shoulder.“A lot?” Mr. Winstead snorted. “The boy ate about half the batch.”The grin on Jack’s face spread, and then, seeing me, he let out another squeal. “Lemme down! Lemme down!”Smiling, Jase lowered the kid’s swinging feet to the ground. The second he landed, he took off, wrapping his arms around my legs.“Hey,” I said, messing up his already out-­of-­control hair. “You excited about Santa coming?”“Yes! Daddy said Mr. Santa would be leaving soon!” He pulled back, grabbing my hand. “Come!”I glanced over at Jase. He smiled and shrugged, lingering back with his father as Jack tugged me through the dining room.Dapur adalah kekacauan. Adonan kue menutupi pulau dan countertops. Tepung berada di lantai dan kulit telur mengisi mangkuk, tapi bau kebaikan gula telah saya mengantisipasi surgawi sugar rush."Lookie yang saya temukan! Lookie!"Ibu Winstead berubah, mengusap tangannya sepanjang pohon Natal lapisan bawah Apron nya merah. "Oh, sayang, aku senang kau di sini." Ia berjalan selama saya sama panjang, tujuan langkah Jase dibuat. "Melihat Anda," dia clucked, menyikat jari sepanjang rahang saya, mana saya tahu sedikit lebam itu masih memudar. "Bagaimana Anda telah, madu?""Baik." Aku tersenyum seperti Jack menyelinap gratis dan memanjat sampai pada bangku langkah yang didorong lagi counter. Dia tenggelam tangannya ke dalam adonan kue. "Aku melakukan benar-benar baik.""Saya bahagia mendengarnya." Tangannya kuat pergi di sekitar saya, dan dia hampir diperas udara dari saya. "Ketika Jase mengatakan padaku apa —" ia menoleh ke mana Jack adalah menggulung adonan menjadi bola. Dia merendahkan suaranya. "Saya tidak ingin sedikit satu untuk mendengar, tapi aku senang kau baik-baik saja dan bahwa —" suaranya menjatuhkan rendah — "gila keparat adalah penjara."Bibir saya twitched. "Saya juga."Ibu Winstead mengguncang dia kepala sedih ketika dia menyaksikan Jack Celepuk sebuah bola dari adonan ke lembar kue. "Gadis itu miskin...""Aku tahu." Aku menggigit bibir bawahnya. "Aku terus mengatakan pada diriku sendiri bahwa setidaknya ada keadilan bagi Debbie sekarang."Jack tampak atas bahunya, kerutan di keingintahuan di wajahnya yang lucu. "Apa itu keadilan?""Ketika orang-orang yang buruk comeuppance mereka, bayi. Dan itu adalah hal yang baik." Ibu Winstead tersenyum padaku, dan memperdalam garis di sekitar mata. Suaranya diturunkan lagi. "Tetapi bahwa... itu tidak semua."Menempatkan tangan pada bahuku, dadanya naik dengan napas dalam, berat. "Saya senang bahwa Anda tahu — bahwa Jase mengatakan kepada Anda."Aku tidak tahu harus berkata apa. Yang bisa saya lakukan adalah mengangguk dan tersenyum ibu Winstead menyebar seperti Jack menyelinap adonan. "Jase digunakan untuk melakukan itu sebagai seorang anak kecil juga," katanya, berkedip dengan cepat. "Dia makan lebih adonan mentah daripada dirinya dimasak.""Saat ini adalah yang terbaik." Suara saya adalah mengejutkan serak.Dia menepuk pundak saya. "Kau baik untuk laki-laki saya, jadi sangat bagus. Dia belum mendapatkan dekat dengan orang sejak Kari, dan Anda mendapatkan dia untuk membuka bahwa hati Nya. Aku tahu kita tidak punya kesempatan untuk benar-benar sampai ke saling mengenal, tapi untuk itu, Anda akan selalu merasa seperti seorang anak perempuan saya."Oh sayang, aku akan menangis.Berkedip air mata, aku tersenyum dan kemudian aku tertawa. "Saya minta maaf. Aku tidak ingin menangis."Jack adalah berbalik lagi. "Mengapa Anda sedih?""Aku tidak sedih," saya dengan cepat mengatakan kepadanya, tersenyum untuk keuntungan. "Aku bahagia, benar-benar bahagia."Dia mengambil kata-kata saya untuk itu dan kembali ke adonan kue. Aku dihapus di mataku dan mengumpulkan sendiri. "Terima kasih. Itu berarti banyak bagi saya, dan saya tidak pernah akan membahayakan dia,"kataku, mengangguk-angguk di kembali Jack. "Atau Jase di jantung.""Itu adalah gadis saya." Matanya berubah berkabut, dan dia membersihkan tenggorokannya. "Sekarang, lihatlah saya. Saya akan mulai mencucurkan air mata, dan yang tidak akan melakukan kita baik, bukan ketika anak saya datang tepat di sini. "