Page 58 of The Tenets of Man

“Supply runs always get people excited,” he explains.

“Ah.” I can’t blame them, honestly. Everyone here lives with the bare minimum—maybe even less—so anything new would feel like Christmas morning.

I spot Bec on the outskirts of the Hub, speaking to an older man who I’ve never seen before. She notices me and waves me over. “Della!”

I look at Maverick once again, who jerks his chin in their direction. “Right behind you.”

I weave through bodies and supplies until I get to Bec. “Della, this is Papa Joe.”

Maverick’s dad,I realize. It’s easy to tell now that I’m looking at him closer. They have the same strong jaw and high cheekbones, but Joe has fine lines around his eyes and mouth and his hair is thinning.“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I extend my hand toward him.

He shakes my hand gently. “The pleasure’s mine.”

Bec loops me into their conversation. “I was just telling Joe my thoughts on the book I just finished.”

“Oh,” I say, unsure of what else to say.

“Rebecca is a part of my wife’s book club,” Joe explains. “I bring her books whenever I can and she tells me her thoughts to share with the group.”

“That sounds fun,” I offer.

“Anyway,” Bec continues. “You can tell Susan she needs to stop picking books where the author only uses euphemisms for male anatomy. I don’t need to read about manhood or shafts—just saycock, for fuck’s sake.”

I choke on my own spit, sputtering for air. Bec thumps me on the back a few times, laughing all the while. I finally recover, glaring at her. “I’m sorry,” I apologize. “Your wife’s book club reads erotic novels?”

Joe shrugs, his own smile mischievous. “Romance novels,” he clarifies.

Bec nudges me with her elbow. “Aside from the author’s overuse of euphemisms, it’s actually pretty good. I’ll loan it to you.” She winks at me, and my face blushes furiously.

As if my cheeks weren’t already a bright enough shade of red, Maverick chooses this exact moment to appear beside me. “I see you’ve met my father, Joseph.”

I avoid his gaze. “We were just getting acquainted.”

Someone nearby saves me from any further discussion of erotica. “Joe brought the good stuff!” they shout, holding up a bottle of whiskey.

Everyone cheers, except for Maverick, who groans. “Dad.”

Joe shrugs with a cheeky grin. “What? You all deserve to have a night of fun.”

“Last time you brought whiskey we almost set the forest on fire,” Maverick reminds him.

His father waves him off. “Psh. Just don’t start a bonfire this time.”

Maverick gives him a half-hearted glare as Bec wiggles her eyebrows suggestively. He sighs, relenting. “Fine.”

Everyone heads out of the Hub, presumably to start the party, but the tent is a bit of a disaster. With the promise of a good time, the rest of the unpacking is forgotten, supplies strewn haphazardly all over the tables. Last time I drank too much I threw up, so I don’t have any plans to indulge tonight. I start with the nearest table, organizing the new materials into neat piles.

Maverick notices I’m staying behind and locks eyes with me. “You don’t have to do that.”

I shrug. “It’s okay. I actually enjoy organizing. It’s relaxing.”

Joe steps up beside me. “I’ve always said the same thing about gardening. It’s nice to get lost in a simple task.”

I look over and offer him a small smile. “Exactly.”

Maverick hesitates, until a loud bang reaches our ears and he rolls his eyes. “I swear to god, these kids need constant supervision.”

Joe chuckles. “Go ahead, son. We’ve got things handled here.”