❄ It Came Upon a Christmas Twist ❄

Alrighty everyone, here is the concluding Chapter to "It Came Upon a Christmas Twist." 💗
It's always sad for me to close out a story, especially when I've grown so close to the characters. I develop a love for each and every one of them and a piece of them always dwells within my heart forever. Enjoy! And thank you all *so* much for reading it. I hope it's added to the joy of your Holiday season. 🥰 🎄❄MERRY CHRISTMAS!❄🎄

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❄Chapter 9❄

A week passed, and Christmas was just around the corner.

During that time, everyone in the Paperclips, Etc. branch in Larkspur, Wyoming worked tirelessly on getting everything finalized before the Holiday break to usher in all the new changes happening after the first of the year. 

Declan felt busier than ever on the job. But he preferred it that way because it reduced his interactions with Harper greatly. It was still hard to see her and talk to her. However he still had something very important to tell her.

And lately…he’d been having mixed feelings about it.   

“Hey hombre!” Andy greeted him at his desk, just as he was finishing up for the day.
“Hey,” Declan glumly answered, putting a file folder away in his desk drawer, his soul still reeling from a plethora of emotions that had gradually become heavier in the last week. 
It seemed Andy had picked up on them already. “You alright? You haven’t been your usual, cheery self lately. Which is a lot considering that your favorite holiday of the year is only three days away.” He partially rested his bottom on the edge of Declan’s desk and folded his arms. “What’s up?”
“I dunno,” Declan answered, leaning forward in his chair with his hands clasped together on his desk, staring into his blank computer screen. 
“You’re still keeping in touch with Kinsley, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So the flame’s still burning?” Andy asked with a smirk.
“That’s the thing,” Declan started, turning his head toward him, but not meeting his gaze, “I don’t know…”

Hearing that, Andy’s face immediately fell, as well as the air surrounding them, making it become thin.

Declan sighed. “I’m not sure what’s going on. Maybe it’s the whole long distance thing, I just,” he stopped, leaning back in his chair now and holding a fist to his lips in disbelief. “Something’s wrong.”
“Explain,” Andy practically demanded. 

But poor Declan didn’t quite know how, and it took him a few seconds to respond. “I guess it all started after the plane landed here in Wyoming.” He lowered his limp fist and finally looked at Andy. “She didn’t respond to the text I sent her before getting on the plane telling her that I miss her.”
Andy’s eyebrows rose.
“I knew for sure she’d say it back to me, otherwise I wouldn’t have said it. But…she didn’t. I mean, texts can get lost in the data waves when a phone is in airplane mode, right?”
Andy casually nodded.
“So that’s what I figured happened and went ahead and sent her a text informing her that we had landed. She did text back, ‘Thank you. I’m glad to hear that’ and then she asked how the flight went, and if Harper was being less annoying so that was nice.”
Andy chuckled, continuing to listen.
“I mean, all of our random conversations over text in the following days have been nice, but,” he frowned, “it almost seems like the spark has fizzled out. On her end, not mine. When I tried to engage her in various different ways, her responses just seemed brief and…empty.” He didn’t know how else to explain it.
“Dude, you know how it is with texting,” Andy stated, with an outstretched palm. “You need to call her!”

“Well I asked if I could call her a couple of times and she said she was sorry she couldn’t chat because she was either too busy at work or feeling tired. She is a nurse in a busy hospital after all.” 

Andy shrugged. He guessed that made sense.
“Then yesterday I asked if she’d given any more thought about coming over here to visit - and I even added that I would be more than willing to go visit her - but,” he stopped, shaking his head, “she just said she didn’t know if she could…” He emotionally swallowed. “Without giving me any more details or saying anything else in the hopes that she’d try to make it happen. I mean, it’s almost like she’s blowing me off and…that’s just not like her, Andy. Especially not without giving me some kind of reason.” His eyes shifted around. “She wouldn’t act like this. Not after the connection we had. Not after that kiss…”
Andy sighed, mostly understanding. And he truly felt sympathy for his friend. “I’m sorry to hear that, hombre. That’s rough. But really, you’d only known her for two days,” he couldn’t help saying, “How can you possibly–”
“But I do know her, Andy,” Declan stressed. “No matter how impossible that may seem. She’s not acting like herself. Something is wrong,” he concluded, holding a fist up to his lips again and thinking. 
Andy didn’t know what else to say. 

Then, as if a certain awareness had just been given to him, Declan’s eyes faintly lit up underneath the pale fluorescent lighting of the office. He wasn’t entirely sure what it meant, or if it was a divine message or whatever, but it certainly felt hopeful. “Maybe Harper knows something I don’t,” he said with determination, standing up from his chair.

Andy’s eyes widened. “Uh, are you sure you wanna do that?”
“Why not?” Declan asked him. “Harper’s gonna find out about me and Kinsley one way or another. So I might as well tell her now.” Then he turned towards her office. “And maybe that’s the key,” he added.  
Andy’s eyes turned away from his disappearing friend to the wall in a state of confusion over that last remark, but he just shrugged it off. Whatever, hombre. Good luck. 

Driven by the fierceness of a heart in love, yet on the verge of shattering, Declan walked right into Harper’s office without knocking. It made the woman’s head shoot up from whatever she was typing with a start.

“Uh, nice of you to knock, Declan,” Harper dryly said, closing her laptop.

“Is there something going on with Kinsley?” he abruptly asked her. 
“Kinsley?” she asked, somewhat playing ignorance.
But Declan was not amused. “Yes, Kinsley. Your twin sister? The one I’ve been texting with every single day since we left Autumnvale.”
“You have?” Harper cried in surprise with furrowed brows.
“Have you heard from her lately?”
“Uh, not really.” She pulled out her phone to check. “She hasn’t said much to me at all since the day we got home.” Then she put her phone down and gave Declan her attention again. “She’s usually pretty busy at the hospital.”
Declan nodded, before lowering his head. “Yeah I know…” 
Then Harper eyed him curiously. “Why do you ask?”

This was the part Declan had been dreading. But at the same time, he just didn’t care anymore. It was time.

He sighed, trying to stand tall and confidently before answering. “She and I got pretty close when we were staying at the cabin.” He paused, somewhat hesitating. “And I developed feelings for her. Strong feelings.”
Harper held her gaze on him.
“I know the feeling was mutual. Without a doubt. But in the past few days while corresponding over text…it almost feels like she’s not interested anymore.” He swallowed, as it was so painful to say. “And I don’t understand it.”

“Well what did you expect, Declan?” Harper was all too swift to say. “That she’d stay interested in you when you two live in different states, a thousand miles apart, and have established careers in them? Nevermind the fact that you’d only known each other for two days.”

Why does everyone keep saying that!? the man thought with frustration.
“I’m not trying to be rude, I’m just stating the facts,” Harper expressed, but when she saw the devastated look on Declan’s face, she changed her tone. “Look it was a fling…and it was fun,” she sympathized. “My sister is gorgeous so I get it. But you two had to get back to real life. And it seems Kinsley realizes that.”
“No.” He shook his head in disagreement, his heart unwavering. “I refuse to believe that.” 

“Look,” Harper said through a breath, getting up from her chair, and coming around her desk to stand before him. “I’m here Declan.” She spread her hands apart as if beckoning, seduction radiating in her eyes. “Like I’ve always been. You don’t need to hide your feelings anymore.”

In that moment Declan stood motionless, blinking several times at her with a nonplussed look. “I-I’m sorry…what?”

“It’s ok Declan,” she soothed, inching closer to him. “I know you’ve been suppressing your feelings for me through all this tension going on between us because I’m your boss, and it would be unethical, but–”
“Woah, woah, hold up,” Declan halted, raising a palm up to her and stepping back. “You think the fact that we don’t always get along and that we bicker sometimes is because I secretly like you?”

Now it was Harper who blinked at him. “Well…yeah. Isn’t it?”
“Harper, I can’t stand you!”
She gaped at him.
“Oh gosh, sorry, that was rude!” Declan exclaimed, pinching the bridge of his nose and expelling a breath. “It-It’s nothing against you Harper, really. It’s just a clash in personalities. You and me,” he paused to gesture, “we are not compatible.” 

“Oh…” Harper blinked again, her face falling and taking a step backward. “Well I…I guess I misunderstood then…” Her voice choked slightly, the air of awkwardness surrounding them weighing on both of their chests. “I - I really thought you were attracted to me,” she expressed, her tone filled with disbelief. 

Her disappointment clutched at Declan’s tender heart. He had no idea she harbored any feelings for him, and he couldn’t remember the last time he felt so awful while being honest. With a look of understanding and sympathy, he revealed, “Maybe at one time I was…but we were just too different.” He lightly shrugged, not knowing what else to say. 

Harper nodded, her lips set in a hard, straight line. “Well, alright then,” she simply said, turning around with a slight huff and heading back to her desk chair. She slumped down into it and folded her arms, averting her gaze from him while shaking her head.

“Harper, I’m really sorry,” Declan deeply expressed, standing by the edge of her desk now. “You’ve always been a good boss and kind to me. And you are no doubt a strong and very beautiful woman that any man would count himself lucky to have. But for me,” he paused, his emotions overflowing, “you’re not her…”

The two held each other’s gazes for a moment as a brief, deafening silence filled the room.   

“And I really hope you aren’t the reason she’s pulling away from me,” Declan somberly added, as if knowing.

Harper’s eyes wandered to the floor now, feeling a sense of guilt.

“I love her,” Declan heartfully declared with a choke. “And I hope she still feels the same for me.”

Exhaling through her nose, Harper looked up at him again. Her eyelids growing heavy with tears as she pondered on his words. For once in her life she didn’t get the guy over her shy and soft spoken twin sister, and maybe…because that’s exactly how it was supposed to be. What is meant to be; despite her constant stubbornness and pride and thinking she knew better. She hoped the softness in her facial expression might convey her realization of that to him.

However Declan had shifted his eyes downward before he could notice. “Anyway, I’ll see you after the break,” he said in an unsteady voice. “Merry Christmas.” And with that he turned around and exited her office.  

                                                                 ❄❄❄

The next evening, December 23rd, Declan had just finished up washing the dishes when his mother called. 

After a few pleasantries were given, his mom anxiously asked, “Are you going to make it over here for Christmas? We’re only a two hour drive away, you know.” She teased.
“I dunno, mom,” Declan replied, dropping down onto his comfy sofa with nothing but the lights from the Christmas tree illuminating the room. “Most likely.”

“You don’t sound very enthusiastic about it…”
“Sorry, it’s not that it’s just,” he stopped to rub at his forehead, “there’s a lot on my mind right now.”
She knew, moms always do. “Have you heard anything back from Kinsley?”
Hearing her name made his heart ache all the more. “No… She hasn’t said anything to me for almost a couple of days now.”
“You should call her.”
“I want to mom, I’m just,” he swallowed, tears forming on his eyelids, “afraid of what she might say.” He blinked. “Afraid of what might be the truth.” He removed his glasses to wipe away an escaped tear.

“I understand honey. But you’re never going to know for sure unless you talk to her. Otherwise you’ll be spending a whole lot of time feeling–”
“Miserable for nothing,” Declan finished for her. “I know mom. It’s not like you haven’t told me that many times before.”
“So you know what you need to do then.” She winked on the other end. “And who knows? Maybe the situation is the exact opposite of what you fear. Maybe…”

There was a light knock on the front door, which pulled Declan’s attention away from whatever else his mother said. And his heart lurched in his chest over the sound; in a curious way. 

“I’m gonna have to call you back mom. Someone’s at the door.”
“Ok. I love you honey and we’ll see you soon. Goodnight.”
“Love you too. ‘Night.”

He stood up and tucked his phone into his pants pocket before approaching the door. His heart quickened the closer he inched to it, with a fleeting hope that the person on the other side of it would be the one it’d been most pining for. It was certainly possible, right? He didn’t even think to peek through the small window on the door to find out, he was just too consumed by his emotions. 

As he swung the door open with that joyous hope and expectation, it faded immediately when he saw who it was. “Harper.” 

“Hey,” she softly greeted, timidly brushing an escaped bang from her pulled back hair behind her ear. “Is it alright if I come in?”
Declan half nodded and turned to the side, gesturing with his arm for her to enter.
She didn’t hesitate in doing so.

In an air of uncomfortableness, Declan closed the door - intending to stay close to it because he hoped this exchange wouldn’t last long. He turned towards her and asked, “What is it Harper?” 

The ever stalwart woman fumbled with her hands as she replied, “I - I just wanted to say something before we go our separate ways for Christmas, and before we see each other again in the office.”
Declan nodded with a gulp.
Feeling nervous again, she clasped her hands tightly together while inching closer to him. “I know you made it clear that you don’t have any feelings for me, and I respect that. But I just had to let you know,” she gulped as well, her emotions quickly taking over, “that the time we spent together on that trip to Idaho…was the happiest and most joyous time I’ve ever spent with anyone in my life. It felt like we’d been long lost best friends…that finally found each other again.”
Feeling puzzled, Declan arched a curious eyebrow at her.

“I didn’t think I could ever find that kind of happiness with someone again, nor be able to feel that kind of joy again.” She stopped, planting her feet. “But you lit up my world in two glorious days like no other man before, and proved to me that it’s still possible for a heart to love again even after it’s been shattered into a million pieces.” Her lips quivered. 

Hearing her say the words “two days” sparked something in Declan’s heart that made it pound wildly, almost in a state of disbelief yet so delightfully overjoyed at the possibility. 

Her voice, it was so mellow and gentle. And her glistening eyes, carrying that same demure radiance. The way the feeling in the room changed and lit up when she spoke. Yes…it must be.

“Kinsley?” 

A smile immediately lit up her face, making a single tear stream down her cheek, adding to her beaming countenance. “Yes!” she whispered. “Yes Declan, it’s me!”

Declan’s heart almost leapt out of his chest as a breath escaped his mouth. He bolted towards her, stopping mere inches before her face with wide, tear-filled eyes and a bright smile, finding it difficult to breathe from the excitement. 

As their eyes locked together, he raised his hand up to the back of her head, releasing the clip that held all her soft hair up in a bun, allowing it to freely flow down her neck and around the sides of her beautiful face.

“There you are,” he said, his face beaming with joy as he stroked her cheek. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too!” she exclaimed in that ever soft voice. “So badly!”
He loved hearing it. It was everything his soul needed to hear. 

“That was a good one.” He grinned through a chuckle, somewhat impressed. “Very sneaky. And very surprising."
Her smile beamed.
"But let’s agree you never wear your hair like that again, ok?”
“Ok!” she laughed, feeling Declan eagerly press his lips upon hers with glee. Oh how good it felt to feel them again.

“So what are you doing here?” he happily asked after the kiss.

“I mean, I’m overjoyed that you’re here, of course! I was just afraid that when you stopped texting me it meant–”
Kinsley held a gentle finger to his lips, stalling him.

“Harper told me everything, and so I no longer had anything holding me back from you.”

Then her face fell. “I know I never should’ve doubted what we shared together, but when Harper told me she liked you too, I–”
Now it was Declan who held a gentle finger to her lips.

“It’s ok. You don’t have to apologize for anything,” he assured, stroking her hair again. “I understand now. And I’m just so glad you’re here.”

Kinsley sniffed, an appreciative look lighting up her face again. “So…you’re in love with me?” she playfully asked, her heart fluttering.

A smile played across Declan’s lips. “From the moment I laid eyes on you…”

She blushed.
“...once I realized you weren’t Harper.” 
They laughed. 

Declan made a mental note to thank Harper greatly for this someday.

“Well,” Kinsley began, wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulders. “I’m in love with you too, Declan Hayes. Ever since we picked out the perfect Christmas tree together…and decorated it together.”
Declan’s face beamed at the memory and his heart filled with warmth. This was quite possibly the happiest moment of his life, next to that very first kiss he shared with her.

“Is it corny of me to say that all I really wanted for Christmas was you?” he asked through a chuckle.
Kinsley chuckled in return, loving it. “No, because you’re all I wanted for Christmas too,” she expressed, playfully tilting her cheek towards her shoulder with a coy smile. 
“You’re all I ever wanted in general.”
“Oh Declan…”

Pressing his forehead upon hers now he went on to say, “And no amount of distance can ever keep us apart.”
“No,” she agreed in a whisper.

“Of course that doesn’t mean we can’t figure some things out to shorten that distance...” he trailed off with a slight smirk, nuzzling her nose with his.
“Of course.” She nuzzled him in return. “We’ll make it work.”
“Yeah we will.”

With feelings of love and desire radiating and exchanging through their eyes, they both leaned in at the same time and kissed each other passionately. In the dim light of the Christmas tree lights and just as the snow began to fall outside the frosted window. 

All felt right in the world again. Just as it so often does at Christmas time. 

Outside, on the other side of the front door, Harper peeked through the tiny window again upon witnessing the kiss, and broadly smiled. She was sure chilled to the bone standing out there for so long, but seeing the way her sister’s face lit up when Declan recognized it was her, was worth every minute of it. 

Those two really are perfect for each other, she thought. My work here is done. She turned away from the door for the sake of their privacy. 

As she did so, she almost ran into something. Someone.

“Oh!” they both exclaimed in a startle.
“H-Hey Harper,” Andy bashfully greeted, scratching at the back of his head. “What brings you here?” It had him feeling genuinely confused for a second.

“Oh, just some unfinished business,” she replied with a smirk. “What brings you here?”
Snapping out of a brief daze, he replied, “Oh, uh, I was bringing Declan the gift I got him for Christmas.” He held the small box up in his hand to show her. “I meant to give it to him earlier at the office, but forgot.” He grimaced. 

A corner of Harper’s mouth quirked up at his expression. “Well give it to him later,” she suggested, shooting a sideways glance at the door. “He’s a little…,” she paused, turning back to face him, “preoccupied at the moment.” 
The look on Harper’s face revealed everything and Andy quickly figured it out with a wide grin. “Right on!”
She nodded.

“Well, goodnight Andy,” Harper parted with, walking past him towards her car. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you too…”

“H-Hey,” Andy stopped her.
She turned, the faint glow from the porch light illuminating her beautiful face as well as the snowflakes falling all around her.

He swallowed nervously. If there was ever a perfect opportunity to do what he’d been wanting to do for ages, it was now. “I-It’s pretty cold out here. Would…would you like to go grab a cup of coffee?” Perspiration had mysteriously formed on his cold forehead.

Harper arched her head at him with a furrowed brow. “At this time of night?”
Now Andy felt the blood draining from his face as his eyes bugged out. “Oh, uh, right, well…maybe a hot chocolate then? Or we could do coffee tomorrow morning, or–” Harper’s chuckle stopped him. 
Isn’t he adorable? she thought. She might’ve been a little familiar with being on the other side of this coin so she felt some sympathy for him. And it was flattering. “I could go for a hot chocolate,” she accepted with a smile, “and maybe coffee in the morning too. That is, if you don’t mind being seen outside the workplace with your boss?” 

Andy blushed, his heart pounding with excitement. “Not in the least…,” he honestly answered. Never!

He thought he could see Harper’s cheeks turning rosy as well, but it was probably just from the cold. 

The confidence in his answer impressed Harper, so she gestured her head towards her car with a smile. “Well then, let’s go.”

Heck yeah! Andy cheered within himself, swiftly setting down Declan’s gift beside the door and gleefully running over to join the most beautiful woman on the planet. Who’d actually agreed to spend time alone with him!

He stepped ahead of her just in time to open up the driver’s side door for her and this time around…Harper didn’t even bat an eye about it.

                                                        ❄Epilogue❄

And so Declan did return home for Christmas, bringing the love of his life along with him. It was the happiest Christmas ever. His parents were thrilled to meet Kinsley and felt deeply in their hearts that she was the perfect match for their son. They eventually welcomed her into the family with wide open arms. 

The following year, the Williams family held Christmas once again at Nick’s cozy cabin in Autumnvale, Idaho. 

Harper might have brought a gentleman along with her to meet the family. A man she hardly ever expected to have any interest in - let alone date - but that’s the way life goes sometimes. Always full of unexpected, pleasant surprises that shape a person’s future into what is truly meant to be. He helped to mellow her out a little bit, and she helped him to feel more confident in himself. So they were just the compliment to each other that they needed to more happily thrive in their life, jobs, and in their relationship. 

The minute Harper and her guy stepped into the cabin, their eyes met with Declan and a pregnant Kinsley with warm, bright smiles. 

“HEY HOMBRE!” the two guys happily exclaimed as they embraced and clapped each other on the back. 

The twin sisters just looked at each other with humorous expressions while shaking their heads.

It would be another wonderful Christmas to remember.

                                                         ❄THE END❄