The Player's Proposal

35: The New Home

Bonus Chapter - Jason POV

"This is nice. We haven't been out on a romantic date in so long," Piper whispered. The beautiful features of her face were illuminated in the candlelight. Her multi-colored eyes sparkled and flashed with love. 

"Yeah. We've been so busy lately," I replied. 

"The food looks delicious. Let me take a picture before we eat." This was classic. Piper liked taking pictures of beautiful things, especially during dates. 

I took off my glasses and set them on the table. I only used them for reading or when I was running a headache. However, after arriving at the restaurant, I was feeling a lot better. It was probably Piper's close presence that soothed my mind. 

"Happy Anniversary, Piper," I whispered. 

I pulled a small present out of my jacket and placed it in front of her. She smiled while gazing into my eyes. "Thank you. You shouldn't have." 

"It was nothing. I can't believe it's been a whole year." 

"It was the best year of my life," Piper responded. Gods, she looked so gorgeous today, and the best part was that it was all-natural. 

I am such a lucky guy. 

"Mine too" I reached forward and took her hands in mine. I was hungry, but I wanted to hold her for a few more minutes before eating. 

We were at a luxury restaurant for our anniversary dinner. 

After a few minutes of simply gazing at each other, Piper pulled away. She took my present and opened the box. 

"Aw, Jason, it's beautiful," Piper cooed. 

"Go ahead and put it on."

"Put it on for me," Piper replied. She placed the necklace into my hand, and I got up. I stood behind her and placed the silver necklace and gold-encrusted heart on her. I gently clicked the lock before kissing her cheek from behind. 

"It looks amazing on you. No surprise there," I said while sitting down again. 

"I love it, and I love you."

The dinner date was enjoyable like all my experiences with Piper. I couldn't believe that she'd been my girlfriend for an entire year. I was so happy to have her. We were different, yet we complimented each other well. 

We were eating fairly early because (1) we were at a high-end restaurant and (2) I had to get back to the house for Percy's arrival. He was moving in tonight. 

"Are you nervous about getting a new roommate?" Piper asked, reading my thoughts. 

"I'm not nervous. I've just never lived with anyone besides my family. It's going to be a new experience for sure. However, Percy's like a brother to me and Thalia. It'll be great, and I'm glad that I can help him."

"You never told me what's going on with Percy," Piper commented. 

"I want to tell you, Piper, but it's not my story to tell. It wouldn't be right to Percy if I revealed his secrets," I said earnestly. 

We were walking hand-in-hand to the car. It was a peaceful night, which was perfect for the occasion. Piper was wearing a purple dress that glittered in the moonlight. The wind was gently blowing her brown hair. 

I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her. 

Her hands traveled up my chest and into my hair. "I love you, Jason. Happy anniversary," she cooed before kissing me again. 

The car ride home was quiet and comfortable.

"You know that I'm great at reading people. Percy did a great job of hiding his personal life, but I'm able to see through it," she explained.