Chapter 4 - The Keys
Pressing his lips together into a tight, suppressed smile, Jackson succeeded in not laughing out loud as he glanced at Brax. He was greatly amused as he watch the older man's ears turn slowly pink as he worked at the counter with his back turned, pretending not to have heard.
"Ha! My quartermaster is as much man as Brax and myself combined! I'll introduce you." Turning his gaze back to his breakfast, Jackson considered his next question carefully. Jane had made huge waves when she had come on board, and she was a shy, pretty as a flower petal slip of a girl. He knew the iron in her, but to all appearances it looked like a stiff breeze would knock her over. She looked younger than she was, and all of his crew were fiercely protective of her. She may have lost her brother by blood, but she had a whole ship full of brothers now. Her place was here. He knew for a fact some of them hoped for a bit more than brotherly love from Jane, but he knew it would be some time before she could open her heart like that.
Now, Marina... she was an entirely different creature. She didn't seem to have a place. Charming and blithe, self-assured and confident, she looked not where she stepped, knowing without a doubt that her foot would fall on something solid eventually. That was not just the confidence of the arrogant or disillusioned; it was confidence born of experience and mistakes made and learned from. He could sense the depth she struggled to hide behind innuendo and and a low-cut blouse. The loss of a ship was one thing; he wondered what else had been taken from her.
He knew his crew would accept his decision, as they had when he had taken on Mordecai and Jane. And just as then, he knew a new crew member would be welcomed and a place made for them. He just wasn't sure if this place was the place Marina needed.
Hang it. He would never know unless he asked the question.
"Why become a stow-away, my dear," he began lightly. "When you could just join up?" He lifted his gaze to meet her dark eyes evenly, so that she would know he was serious. But then he quirked a little grin, so that she would know he wouldn't be hurt if she decided to play it off like a joke and gracefully decline.