She nodded gravely, far more gravely than either of the contestants, over the terms of the contest. It was fair, the directions were clear and there would be no room for wiggling out of things. Not that she expected either man to need clear directions. For all that Jax was havoc on her nerves he was fair. But she felt better, more in control when things were laid out. He had asked her to be second after all, it was her job to look after his best interests. He could hardly have expected her to do less, could he? 

“If the parameters are…” she looked to gain confirmation from the captain and then cut off when she saw him being kissed, heartily by Antonia. Her eyes widened and she looked away almost at the same time as the boy, though her expression was not so repulsed and she did not shudder. For all of that it was a display that was as welcome to her as it was to the boy. She did not mind the display on a personal level. She had no intentions regarding the captain and whatever it was that had begun to grow between them, to nascent to have a name, she wanted him to be happy. But the kiss for all that it might make him momentarily happy, it was not worth what it would bring. 

Trouble, she thought and cast her eyes over the crew while her Captain was kissed. It was unlikely that Cooper had been the only one to have taken umbrage with the Captain’s pronouncement the day before. He was not the only one to think the Captain weak for his affections. He was certainly not the only one who disapproved of females on board. He had just been the most open about the matter. 

She looked in the faces she could see for signs of sedition growing at the display but it was night and the lanterns, while lit, did not illuminate all. The moon, for all her beauty did not bless them with enough light for her to see growing treachery. She clenched her fingers into fists and ground her teeth. This was trouble and she would have to deal with it. She would have to keep her ears open for the fallout. 

She cleared her throat and gestured forward. “If the Captain would choose his side so that Luc here can begin the contest.” She said and put her hand on the boy’s shoulder and gently squeezed having only just then noticed his reaction to the kiss, her touch telling him it was safe to look, the display was over.