A/N: The characters still don't belong to me. If they did, we would've had a happy ending for ShOliver MONTHS ago. :D
That was it. Oliver's marriage to Holly was officially ending.
He had realized while dancing with Holly that he would rather be dancing with Shane. He supposed he should feel guilty about that fact; however, he knew deep down in his heart and soul that he and Holly were and would always be dancing to two different tempos - her to the fast-paced beat of Paris and him to the slow and steady rhythm of Denver.
After leaving the Mailbox Grille, he went by the DLO in order to think, expecting to be alone. Instead he was greeted by Norman and Rita, the latter who told him that Shane had cleared out her desk and left a letter for him. Upon opening the letter addressed to Mr. O'Toole he began to panic. In the letter Shane stated that she felt it necessary to submit her resignation, and thanked him for her time in the Dead Letter Office.
He asked Rita if Shane had said anything before she left. "Actually, yeah," Rita replied. "She told Norman and me not to let 'nothing' happen between us. She looked really upset."
Oh no, Oliver thought.
Knowing Shane's tendency to wander about the city when she was upset, he rushed to her home to wait for her. On a whim, he also bought a swing just like the one Shane had mentioned having as a child and wanting to have someone to sit and swing with her, and installed in on her porch.
He had an entire speech planned out by the time Shane had arrived home, but promptly forgot it when he saw the heartbroken look on her face. He informed her he wasn't going to let her quit ("we need you," he had said, although what he really meant was I need you), and also that he and Holly had decided to end their marriage.
He wanted to kiss away her tears when her face flooded with relief at the news, but instead he and Shane had sat on her new swing and watched the sunset in silence. Oliver felt more at peace in that moment than he had in years. He silently thanked God for sending Shane to him so he could get closure with Holly.
He wanted to wait until after his divorce was final before pursuing Shane (Oliver had stopped calling her Miss McInerney in his head sometime during their dance classes together, although he still called her that out loud) since not only did he need time to heal, but he didn't want Shane to feel like she was just a replacement for his ex-wife.
Oliver spent the next couple of months after that reflecting and praying for guidance. For the first month he would find himself watching Shane, and rather than be caught staring he would quickly find something else to look at when she would look in his direction. Eventually though, he found himself keeping eye contact for a few moments before looking away, and his heart would constrict when Shane would give him a small smile back.
One Friday afternoon the POstables had just wrapped up their latest dead letter mystery and were getting ready to call it a week.
Norman and Rita had recently cemented their relationship and Shane was asking Rita about weekend plans as Oliver looked on. He suspected that Shane had had a hand in moving Norman and Rita along, although he never commented on or asked about it.
He didn't notice Norman and Rita leave for the weekend and Shane turn back towards him until she was looking at him quizzically. "What?" she asked.
Oliver decided he had waited long enough and was finally ready to move on with his life.
He reached a hand out to Shane. "Miss McInerney, would you like to accompany me to dinner this evening?"
Shane's face lit up in a smile. "Why, I would love to, Mr. O'Toole."
Oliver's heart leaped, then plummeted when Shane squeezed his hand before grabbing her purse. "The Mailbox Grille shouldn't be too busy at this time of day," she said. The POstables frequently went to the Mailbox Grille to 'unwind' after a more in-depth case, although normally all four members of their team went unless a situation arose where one or more could not make it.
Oliver could feel his cheeks heating up as he tried to rectify Shane's error of assuming a casual dinner. "Er, actually, I was thinking of something a little more...formal for tonight. Italian, perhaps? There's this quaint little place near Washington Park that I have been meaning to try. I hear their gnocchi is fantastic."
The truth was that he had wanted to go there for months, but was delaying dining there until he could take Shane. He felt that it was a place Shane would appreciate, and wanted to share the experience with her.
Shane looked at Oliver quizzically. "Oliver, are you... are you asking me on a date?"
Oliver took a deep breath before answering. "Well, if you consider two people who enjoy each other's company eating dinner together in a formal setting a date, then, well... yes, I suppose I am." Seeing a slightly odd look on her face, he quickly continued, "but if that in any way makes you uncomfortable..."
He was relieved when Shane shook her head. "No, no. I'm not uncomfortable at all, I just... Italian sounds great."
Oliver grinned. He thought Shane was even more beautiful when flustered. "Shall I pick you up at 7 then?"
Shane nodded. "That sounds perfect."
"Until then, Miss McInerney."
As soon as Shane left, Oliver checked his watch. He had just enough time to stop by the flower shop to pick up some flowers for Shane, then go home and get showered and changed. He phoned the restaurant to make a reservation, then hurried to get to the flower shop before they closed.
He made it with just a few minutes to spare, and upon realizing that he had no idea what Shane's favorite flowers were and after being asked a few questions by the clerk, chose a simple bouquet of white roses. "For new beginnings," the clerk had told him. "They symbolize hope for the future." How appropriate, Oliver thought. He thanked the clerk, who wished him good luck.
When he arrived home, he stuck the flowers in water so they wouldn't start to wilt, then quickly took a shower. He chose a blue suit and tie over a lighter blue dress shirt since he had worn a dark grey suit to work earlier that day, and quickly dressed and styled his hair into its usual style.
Lord, guide me, he prayed on the way to Shane's house. He couldn't recall having ever been so nervous about a date before. Once he arrived, he grabbed the roses that he had bought and walked up her steps. He stood nervously in front of her door for a few moments.
Boldness be my friend, he thought. He rang the doorbell.
