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“Your mom isn’t doing her usual?”
“Nah, she’s gonna be too busy with mayor stuff, since she’s being sworn in last week of June. That’s why we want to throw something together ourselves. Don’t gotta give me an answer now. Just consider it. Toss the idea on the back burner. Hey, you wanna sign up for a membership while you’re here?” he asks suddenly with a nod at the desk behind him. “Discount this week only!”
“I’ll consider it for sure,” I tell him, though it’s unclear if I mean the membership or the gathering. Okay, I have definitely lost Hoyt to the madness. “Hey, if you see Jimmy, can you congratulate him for me? I gotta find Hoyt.”
“Will do! Jimmy’s—Wait. Hoyt’s here? You came with Hoyt??”
“Later, Tanner!”
I head off as he shouts, “Don’t forget the fourth!” at my back. The place is swarming with people. I’m nearly run over by a gaggle of rogue kids racing by when I finally spot Hoyt standing at the entrance to the roped-off rock wall area. He notices me and pouts. “There’s a dumb line,” he says with a roll of his eyes as I approach. “Don’t think I’m gonna get to hop on that wall tonight.”
“I didn’t even realize Spruce had this many people to occupy such a huge space,” I mutter, astounded.
“There’re probably a lot of folks here from Fairview, if I had to guess. Word got around. Fairview also has a big and flashy gym complex, though it’s now old news. They’ve got big competition here with Strong Fitness, for sure! Hope Jimmy and Bobby won’t have to deal with nasty marketing war tactics.” He looks at me. “Y’know what doesn’t have a line, though?”
I quirk an eyebrow in suspicion. “What?”
Five minutes later, we’re standing in front of a wide array of rectangular trampolines set into the floor. Kids and adults alike are bouncing around from trampoline to trampoline, shouting and laughing and having a blast.
And I stare at all of that wicked fun and go, “You want me to jump around with you like a child? Seriously? Hell no.”
Hoyt is already kicking off his shoes. “It’ll be fun! Don’t leave me hangin’ here, Harrison. This’s, like, the after party of my sister’s birthday. We’ve got steam to blow off, and what better way to do it than jump the fuck around??” He rushes up to the trampoline area and hops straight on.
Then I get to watch him turn into a gleeful, laughing child.
As if he wasn’t already enough of one.
“Harrison!” he shouts between jumps. “Get!” Jump. “Your!” Jump. “Ass!” Jump. “Out on the trampolines!!”
I glower at him, in total disbelief that he actually wants me to do this. “Y’know I’m not eighteen anymore. I could break.”
“You’re thirty, healthy, and fit! Shut up! No excuses! Jump!” He stops impressively abruptly. “Y’know what? Maybe you need a bit of help.” He hop-walks his way off the trampoline floor, then marches right up to me.
I back away in protest. “Hey, now!”
Suddenly, he’s crouched at my legs and yanking off my shoes. I nearly lose my balance as I try to fight him off, but Hoyt is ever so stubborn—and strong—and won’t let go. That boy’s got a grip like no other. Before I know it, I’m in my socks, and Hoyt’s grabbed me by the hand like a toddler. “Out! C’mon, big boy! Let’s do it!”
“Big boy?” I laugh. “That’s an understatement.”
We step out onto the trampolines. I underestimate exactly how bouncy the floor is and find myself nearly falling straight on my face before Hoyt catches me. He helps me get upright again, then pats me on the back. “Good, now jump!”
“I’m gonna break this whole thing!”
“Jump, I said! C’mon!”
Hoyt won’t let go of my hands as he starts jumping. I have no choice but to match him so he doesn’t yank my hands straight off of my arms. By the third jump, we’re already way higher than I’m at all comfortable with, the whole world flying upwards, falling downwards, flying upwards again …
And suddenly I’m laughing. “Holy shit!”
“Right?!” he shouts back in my face.
“Fuck me, we’re high!” I let out another manic laugh. “Oh, fuck! Shit! Whoa!”
“Dude, language!” he shouts at me between jumps, trying not to crack up himself. “There are kids around!”
“I know!” I shout, eyes on him. “I’m jumping with one of ‘em!”
Hoyt lets go of my hands, laughing, and starts hopping from trampoline to trampoline. I’m already pretty sure I can’t stop my vertical momentum at this point, so I just stay right where I am, bouncing from Earth to Heaven over and over again. It isn’t long before Hoyt starts showing off his physical talents, going from standing to sitting between his jumps. “Hey, look, watch this!” he shouts before doing a full-on backflip. “Yeah,” I shout back at him, three trampolines away, “I’m not even gonna entertain the idea of trying that, but have fun, you show-off!”
