A Favor

Champagne

"In case anyone asks, you're the harbor master," Annabeth said, browsing the racks.

"But I'm not. I just work there. What if someone finds out?"

Annabeth snorted. "Please. These are the people I went to high school with, Percy, they know nothing."

"Ok. So you built your own architecture firm from scratch and I'm now the harbor master. How did we meet?"

"Oh we don't have to change that," Annabeth said, "we were apartment neighbors."

Percy smiled a little. "Sounds good. Now what exactly are we looking for?"

Annabeth tapped a pen against her chin. "Definitely black, with perhaps some green accents. You know, to match your eyes."

Percy turned away to hide his blush. She knows what color my eyes are, he thought. But he just smirked. "Well, you're the boss. And hey, how do you know so much about this stuff anyway?"

Annabeth's eyes darkened. "When I was younger, my mom used to take to me to these black-tie events. To show that she was both a mom and a successful woman I guess."

Percy nodded. Annabeth's mom was a hotshot lawyer who was rarely around when she was growing up. They were working on mending their relationship, but according to Annabeth it wasn't going great.

"So I know my way around a suit. For example," she said, pointing at a slim black tux, "this would be absolutely perfect for you."

Percy stood still as the tailor, a friend of Annabeth's who introduced himself as Charles Beckendorf, poked him with pins.

"Your broad shoulders, long arms, and narrow hips make you an unusual size," he said as he spun Percy around to face the mirror. "But what do you think?"

The Percy that stared back was not the Percy he was expecting. This Percy looked distinguished, elegant, even refined. He ran his fingers through his hair and turned to Annabeth.

"What do you think?"

Her eyes sparkled. "God, Percy, it's perfect."

Charles folded his arms, a touch of pride in his eyes. "I was thinking a slim black tie with a teal abalone tie pin. And a pocket square to match."

Annabeth smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Charles. When he can pick it up?"

"Tomorrow," he said, "as a special favor for a friend."

Percy eyed Annabeth's hand. Was it possible they- it's not my business, he thought. But Charles was handsome, tall, and strong, and Percy couldn't banish the thought from his brain.

"Is he, uh, seeing anyone?" Percy asked, as casually as he could once they left the store.

Annabeth smirked. "Why? You interested?"

"No," he said quickly, "but I mean if I, you know, swung that way I would be."

She scrutinized him a moment. "He's dating that woman that owns the pottery store across the road." She gestured to a small studio behind the hot dog stand. "Her name is Silena, she's really sweet. Gorgeous too."

Percy grinned. "Now who's interested."

Annabeth laughed and punched his arm. "I might be, Jackson. But you'll never know."

They sat in their taxi together in comfortable silence as they rode back to their apartments. Percy watched Annabeth for a moment, the way she rested her chin on her hand to lean her head against the window and watch the buildings go by, how a couple strands of her hair had come loose from her bun and were tucked behind her ear. Percy sighed a little and switched his gaze out his window and thought about his mom. She ran a bakery in Manhattan, and in her spare time wrote novels. At first she hadn't wanted Percy to work anywhere near boats, since his father, who ran a rescue vessel for the Coast Guard, had died at sea. But when Percy got his first job as a deckhand and loved it, she relented. Percy wanted to be out at sea again, but working in the harbor masters office paid better. And plus it kept him near Annabeth.

He leaned across the middle seat. "By the way, how did I propose?"

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "I'm glad you asked. It was on a boat. We were touring the Statue of Liberty and you got down on one knee and put a diamond ring on my finger. The we drank the champagne you smuggled on board."

"A diamond ring? I like this guy. He's cool."

Annabeth smiled. "He is."

Percy opened his mouth say something but Annabeth got a call. As she talked about the beams and structural supports of something, Percy filed the information away in his head. Diamond ring, on a boat, smuggled champagne.