Page 50 of The Pickleball Girl Finds Her Match

Then Paco delivered a deep slice serve that curved out of the reach of his sixteen-year-old opponent, and their point was easily won.

“Game,” he called. Sebastian and Paco tapped their paddles together, then approached the net and tapped paddles with the opponents.

“Nice job, bro,” Sebastian said to Paco. “That was fun.”

“Come on, bro. That wasn’t fun, that was a blowout.” Paco scowled. “What’s a kid gotta do to get some competition around here?”

“You want some competition?” Endy asked, her lips pulled up in a grin. She pulled out her phone to check the time. “Your mom probably won’t get here for another twenty minutes, so let me put together a real match for you guys.” She started typing on her phone. “I’m going to let the other kids go, so let’s meet back here in a few minutes. Go take a water break.”

Sebastian watched Endy head for the shade awning, then nodded once at Paco. “Yeah, go grab some water. I gotta do something, but I’ll be back in five minutes.” He jogged across the court to where Barbara sat on the bench. Sebastian said something to her, then continued jogging across the street to the large Tennyson property.

Endy made sure the other kids had their belongings and were waiting under the awning for pickup. Once she was sure they were all accounted for, she made her way back to court five where Paco stood with his arms crossed, an angry look on his face. Next to him, stretching his legs, was Steven Markowitz.

Paco approached Endy and hissed, “I told you I wanted to play someone good, and you invited yourabuelo!” His eyes shot daggers at Endy. “I’m gonna have to go easy on grandpa so he doesn’t bust a knee!” Endy hid her smile and shrugged her shoulders.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sebastian crossing the street, carrying a clear acrylic wine goblet. He stopped at the bench where Barbara Tennyson sat and held out the wine to his grandmother. She accepted the glass, and Sebastian leaned over and kissed her cheek.

He jogged onto the court. “Hey, Dr. Markowitz,” he said, reaching out and shaking hands. “You joining us?”

“Yes, it appears that Grandpa is, indeed, joining you.” He smiled at Paco.

“Who’s our fourth?” asked Sebastian, his eyes searching around the court.

Endy held up her hand.

“Really?” said Sebastian, rubbing his chin.

“I mean, if you’re okay with it,” said Endy, her word carrying a light challenge. “But if you’d rather have someone else join you, I totally understand,” she added, worried that Sebastian might be uncomfortable playing with her since they’d just broken up.

“I’m okay with it. What do you think, Paco?” Sebastian asked.

“Bring it,” Paco replied, turning his back on Endy and Steven and bending over, wiggling his butt in their direction.

Endy rolled her eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes. Are you ready, Dr. Markowitz?” He held up his paddle and nodded. She looked up at Sebastian. “Seriously, Sebastian, are you okay with me playing in?”

The side of Sebastian’s lips pulled up in a grin, and he looked deep into Endy’s eyes. “More than okay,” he said. He walked away, toward the baseline, and called over his shoulder, “Let’s go, pickleball girl.”

Endy served first, with the ball landing across the court, deep at the baseline. Sebastian hit it back, keeping the ball low, but Steven quickly returned it to the middle of the court. Caught off guard, Paco stuck out his paddle, and the ball popped up above their heads. Endy reached up with her paddle and slammed the ball, hitting the top of Sebastian’s feet.

Sebastian burst out laughing. “So that’s how it’s going to be?”

Endy giggled. She couldn’t resist. She turned her back, bent over, and wiggled her butt at Sebastian, which made him howl with laughter. Paco grinned, proud of what he’d contributed to the game. And sure enough, Sebastian seemed more than okay with playing around Endy.

Endy and Steven switched sides, and she served to Paco. He swiped at the ball, which floated over the net. Steven moved forward to return, except the ball landed on the court and skipped away from him, out of his reach.

“Ooohhh,” muttered Steven, his arm stuck straight out, far away from the ball. “The boy has a slice.”

The air was filled with the squeaking of their shoes as they moved on the court, and the game continued with the four of them shouting and jeering at each other. Each point was hard won, so when a team got a point, the players broke out with arm pumps and yells.

With a tight score at 10–9, the competition was fierce. Sebastian and Paco led, just one point away from a big win.

Sebastian held the ball and announced the score, “Ten, nine, one.” He swiped his paddle, sending the serve soaring over the net.

Endy returned the ball then quickly moved forward, coming even with Steven. Her eyes danced and a joyful grin played at her lips. “Nice serv—” she started saying.

But Paco, his forehand in the middle, instantly crossed in front of Sebastian just as the ball bounced in their court.

Thwack! He sent the winning shot hurling through the middle, past both Endy’s and Steven’s paddles, to win the game at 11–9.

---