Signed Sealed Delivered: Dancing with Stars
Hi friends! please forgive my delayed update! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I will have the next chapter up soon too!
Hope you continue to enjoy! Thanks again!
For entertainment only!
Chapter 4
Once Shane was finished eating her food, she took out her Ipad "Alright…let's see what we're going to do..."
"Would you like me to cut a slice of the special cake Ramon brought for you?" Oliver asked with a playful smile. She looked to him with a smile and said "Ok"
He gave her a small smile and cut her a slice. Shane looked back to her screen, trying not to smile. "I just pulled up the competition's site and I'm going to sign us up. It says here there are six total categories, two on each day, but can choose one for each day to compete."
"Must we compete each day?" Oliver asked "can't we simply partake in the first day to locate Jacqueline, and be on our way?"
"Perhaps" Shane said with a smirk "but we can't be sure which dances she will compete"
It was his turn to smirk "I have the feeling you have more planned than simply delivering Jacqueline's letter"
She tried to fight back her smile, quite enjoying the fact that Oliver knew her so well. "As I was saying...we can pick the categories. Norman and Rita can choose their three and we can choose ours."
"Oh, I'm so excited! I just love dancing!" Rita exclaimed. Shane was trying really hard not to let out a laugh remembering how terrible Rita was. Of course, she got a little better from all those lessons when she was practicing for Miss Special Delivery.
However, she had no idea how Norman would fare at dancing, especially in a competitive setting.
This was definitely going to be interesting, she was sure.
"Ok… here is a list of all of the dances... Foxtrot, Waltz, Jive, Paso Doble, Samba and Argentine Tango"
"Jacqueline will certainly compete in the Argentine Tango, don't you think?!" Oliver said and Shane nodded with a smile "My thoughts exactly. So, let's figure out which dances each of us will compete"
"Oh Norman! This is going to be so fun! Which dances should we do?!" Rita exclaimed. Norman looked anxious and Oliver glanced to Shane with a nervous expression of his own "If I may Rita, you are quite the...free spirit when it comes to...dancing"
Rita smiled and Norman and Shane were amused by Oliver's attempt to be kind in how he expressed Rita's dancing.
"Perhaps you'd be more suited to dances with a bit more ...flexibility and those which are not as structured. For instance, dances such as the Paso Doble and Tango require more precision and finesse, in which, given your... strengths, perhaps it would be best to forego them for something more liberal, in this case, possibly… the Jive and Samba which are more lively and give you the flexibility to be a bit more...spontaneous"
"Ooh! Ok!" Rita exclaimed in excitement, agreeing that sounded much more her style.
Oliver was thankful that he didn't offend Rita by suggesting which dances she would be better suited to.
Shane watched Oliver explain the dances with a curious smile, "How do you know all that?"
He smiled as he looked to her "My grandmother was quite the ballroom dancer. When I was a boy, she would teach me"
Shane's smile grew imagining a young Oliver dancing with his grandmother. She was cut short from her imaginings by Oliver invading her space. He leaned toward her so that he could glimpse her Ipad and said in a hushed tone "you may sign us up for the Waltz, Paso Doble and Tango, which... given our practice I believe we would do fairly well. What do you think?"
Shane felt a bit flustered by Oliver's proximity, his charming voice and his initiative in choosing their dances with such confidence; all she could do was nod "Mhm"
He looked at her with a smirk, his eyes meeting her's with a bit of flirtation. She bit her lip as she stared at him, feeling breathless. In that moment she felt they were the only two people in the world, and failed to notice Rita and Norman watching them. It felt as though they were sharing a lifetime in this simple moment.
Oliver stared at Shane, his desire to draw her to him nearly consuming. He cleared his throat "uh...we should finish up here, and return to the DLO where we may be more focused." his voice was low and smooth.
She nodded and looked back to her electronic device with a blush as she said "Right!"
Norman and Rita exchanged smiles in regard to their colleagues.
"That leaves Norman and Rita with the Foxtrot, Jive and Samba" Shane informed, trying to play it cool that she had been completely swept into Oliver's charming presence.
"Oh, that sounds so fun, doesn't it Norman?" Rita asked as she looked to Norman with an excited smile. Norman nodded, though his eyes reflected that he was very unsure of that.
"Don't worry Norman, obviously we will all practice before the competition" Shane stated, hoping that eased Norman about the whole situation. Norman smiled looking to Rita who smiled at him. He would do whatever he could to make Rita happy. And if that involved dancing in front of judges and an audience then he would just have to try his best and face his fears.
The four friends finished their pieces of chocolate cake and were on their way back to the DLO. As soon as they were outside Rita pulled Shane ahead so there was quite enough space between them and Oliver and Norman.
"Shane! You have to tell me what happened with you and Oliver! He wants to dance the tango with you!" Rita exclaimed in excitement.
Shane nodded with a dazed smile. "I'm just as surprised as you are Rita."
Rita smiled "Eeh! I'm so happy for you!"
Shane blushed, something very atypical for her. Unless it came to Oliver, that is. He was such a composed gentleman that when he did things like pull her to him for a passionate kiss and suggest they dance the tango, she couldn't help but blush.
"He kissed me" Shane declared softly.
"EE! Oh yay! When?!" Rita exclaimed as she walked alongside her friend. "Two nights ago" Shane said, her mind reliving that perfect moment she'd dreamed of for so long.
"So what happened?"
Shane looked to her friend with a smile "we were arguing about missing each other and the next thing I know he is shutting me up with an amazing kiss!"
"EE!" Rita jumped in excitement causing Shane to laugh and blush.
Oliver and Norman had been following the ladies with a moderate space between them knowing that perhaps they wanted to have a moment together. Oliver had to wonder what they were discussing and what was making Rita so excited. He felt the warmth flood him as he wondered if Shane was informing Rita of what transpired between them following her return.
He decided to focus his attention to Norman who seemed pensive, and conceivably, a bit nervous. "Norman, my friend, are you concerned for the dance competitions?" Norman nodded quickly and Oliver smiled as he said "As much as I care for Rita, I think it's safe to say that you just may be the better dancer"
Norman looked to Oliver with a smile. Oliver chuckled. Norman's smile grew as he looked to Oliver. "It is nice to have you back"
Oliver looked to Norman with a thoughtful look before he smiled "yes, Norman. I would be lying to you if I didn't confess that Shane's return has me in more...uh...pleasant spirits."
Norman gave a small smile as he said "We wouldn't be the Postables without her"
Oliver nodded "That, my dear friend, is very true"
When they got back to the DLO, Shane quickly worked to sign them up on the competition's site filling in the required information and selecting the dances for each couple, while Norman was examining the envelope of their letter, and Rita was sorting through some bins and Oliver was reviewing some paperwork that had to be processed by that evening
As Shane finished signing them up, it all hit her that this was real. They were really competing in a dance competition. Not only that, she and Oliver were doing it...together. As a couple.
And he chose the Tango, possibly the most…romantic and amorous dance there could be.
She took a sneaking glance to him at his desk. He was so handsome and charming.
He looked up from his desk and caught her gaze. She smiled at him and a smile formed across his lips before he got up from his desk and walked over. "Did you require any help signing us all up, Sha-Miss McInerny?"
She smirked "Actually, I just finished Mr Oliver." She stated playfully. He chuckled and her smile grew. "Now we just have to coordinate the travel to D.C. and we're all set!"
"Except learning how to dance in barely a week" Norman muttered nervously from his station. "I'm sure you'll be great Norman" Rita said as she came over to him. He looked to her with a light smile.
"Ehm, so...due to our special delivery, you will be returning to...uh…to-"Oliver stammered anxiously, unsure how to proceed in expressing his thoughts.
Shane watched Oliver curiously as he tried to vocalize what he seemed to be thinking. "to..uh...Washington…" he said in a restrained tone.
Shane smiled realizing what he was getting at. "Yes…"
His eyes met hers "uh…will you-"
"Oliver, I am going to Washington D.C. with you, Norman and Rita to deliver this lost letter to Jackie, and I…"
He watched her intently, his heart beginning to clench in his chest at the possibilities of her returning to the job -and man- that took her away from him. He was taken away from his displeasing thoughts by her statement "I fully intend to come back home." "With you." she emphasized.
His eyes grew and she blushed at how her response sounded and added "And Norman and Rita, of course!"
He smiled "of course" his voice was low, the pleasure at her comment in his tone.
She smiled, but noticed Rita trying not to watch them. Norman seemed clueless for the time-being as he examined the stamp on the envelope containing Jackie's letter.
Oliver's eyes remained on Shane, his heart swelling at her comment. He was very grateful that she had no inclination to stay in D.C. He prayed that would remain true.
Shane diverted her gaze from Oliver to Norman "Find anything special about that stamp, Norman?"
Norman shook his head "No, I thought I might be able to see if I could find a more specific location, but this is just a generic stamp from Buenos Aires."
Shane appreciated that Norman was looking into where it was sent from. She really wanted to find Joaquin; in fact, on their way back to the DLO, she told Rita in confidence that she was going to do a search, and Rita offered to look into dance studios in the D.C. area, as well. She was so grateful that her friend wanted to locate Joaquin just as much as she did.
She was sure if she told Oliver, he might not be too pleased; though, part of her was certain he already knew she was going to do what she could to find Joaquin and reunite him and Jackie together.
"That's alright, Norman. We just have to trust the timing." she said as she looked to Oliver and shared a smile with him. Oliver couldn't possibly express how truly grateful he was to have Shane back, and not only that, how often he thanked God for 'misdirecting' her to the Dead Letter Office instead of Direct Line Operations. It truly was a divine delivery that she was sent to them.
They were all better together with her; as Norman's words rang true, they wouldn't be the Postables without her.
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