Page 32 of The Pickleball Girl Finds Her Match

“I wouldn’t exactly call it a relationship at this point,” Endy countered.

“Nonetheless, it’s very early,” continued Earlene. “Keep us posted as things progress.”

“We’ll book another lesson so we can get updates,” Candi chimed in.

Nora raised her mimosa in the air. “Here’s to Sebastian,” she said as the other two raised their respective glasses.

“I’m crossing my fingers for you,” she continued with a slow wink, “that he’s Greek.”

20

They were late starting the hike. It had been sweltering all week with temperatures climbing up over 110 degrees that day. But Endy had promised to take Sebastian to one of her favorite places in the desert, so they’d waited for the cooler temps later in the day.

Nestled deep within the rocky crevices of the San Jacinto Mountains, Angel Creek Trail was a farther drive and much less traveled than other hiking trails in town such as Tahquitz Canyon or Araby Trail. When they arrived, the sun painted the desert landscape with hues of orange and pink against the rugged terrain, showing off the area’s beauty.

“You’re sure your knee is healed enough?” asked Endy, as they shouldered their day packs. She took a swig of water from her stainless steel water bottle.

Sebastian nodded. “Completely. Thanks for planning this hike; I haven’t been up here before.” The crunch of gravel beneath their hiking boots echoed through the stillness of the desert. “So far, it’s pretty stunning.”

They came upon a family plodding along slowly. The young son ran ten feet forward, came back to his parents, then ran ahead again, kicking rocks along the way of the narrow path winding through the bunches of Joshua trees and gnarled shrubs. The scent of sagebrush hung in the dry air, releasing its fragrant aroma as they passed by.

Sebastian reached out and took Endy’s hand, his long fingers entwining hers, then pulled her close and kissed her temple. Tall wild grasses bordered the narrow trail, and the loose sand poofed up with each step they took. The hills in front of them rose up brown and tan, the base lighter with yellow grasses and chunky gray boulders, and the occasional call of a distant bird was sharp in the quiet vastness.

Still following the family, Endy stopped in her tracks, squeezed Sebastian’s hand, and pointed midway up the hill at a cluster of rocks on the steep canyon walls.

“Do you see it?” she whispered. Looking to where she pointed, Sebastian smiled widely.

“Wow,” he exclaimed under his breath as they watched the bighorn sheep perched on a high boulder, watching them watch it. Nearby, other sheep blended into the hillside, taking small, sure steps toward the bighorn.

Sebastian turned to see if any other hikers followed them, ready to point out the impressive animals, but the trail behind them was empty. When the bighorn sheep moved behind the rock, dropping out of their sight, Endy and Sebastian resumed hiking. The trail meandered in front of them, through the desert expanse, the terrain gradually shifting from coarse gravel to softer sand.

The family in front of them tired early, the toddler already being carried on her father’s shoulders, and they soon turned back, smiling at Endy and Sebastian as they passed.

“Looks like the trail is all yours,” the father said, holding on to his daughter’s legs as they dangled on either side of his neck. “How far are you two going up?”

Sebastian raised his eyebrows at Endy and shrugged.

“Not too far,” Endy replied.

The father eyed Endy’s backpack. “Good. Looks like you planned for this crazy heat wave we’re having and have plenty of water.” He wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Be careful and have fun.”

“We will.” Endy smiled. “We already are.”

The sun was making its way west across the sky, the distant outline of rugged mountains emerging on the horizon. The dipping sun cast elongated shadows that danced across the trail, creating a mesmerizing play of light and dark. And without the family in front of them, Endy and Sebastian picked up their pace.

After watching the family hike away, Endy gazed up at Sebastian. “Cute family,” she said. “Do you have brothers and sisters?”

Sebastian shook his head. “No, it’s just me—only child. How about you?” He opened his water bottle and took a long drink.

“I have an older sister who lives up in Washington. We’re pretty close, but I really only see her every couple of years, usually when I need a hand with moving.” She smiled. “In fact, she might be coming down here soon to help me pack.”

Endy explained to Sebastian that the owners of her casita were planning on selling their property in a couple of months, so she would be moving out soon.

“How do you feel about that?” asked Sebastian, pushing his hair back from his damp forehead. “About having to move out so soon?”

“It’s fine. I’m used to it,” Endy answered with a shrug. “I’ll take a couple of days off from work, and my sister and I will pack up a half-dozen boxes and then spend the rest of the time in the pool with wine, catching up.” After a couple of steps, she looked up at Sebastian. “What about you? Do you move around a lot?”

“Yeah, you could say that,” Sebastian said with a light chuckle. “I mean, I did move around quite a bit because my father was a foreign service diplomat, and we lived in a bunch of different places before I even got to middle school.”

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