Page 67 of The Pickleball Girl Finds Her Match

“¡Ay!Who’s being so pushy?” Maria turned around, her eyes hidden behind huge square sunglasses.

“Maria?” gasped Endy, taking a step back.

“Endy, we’ve been wondering where you were!” screamed Maria, dropping Morgan’s arm and giving Endy a huge hug. She turned to the group. “Everyone, this is Endy!”

“Ennnnddddyyyy!” yelled the blond with the braid, holding up a can of hard seltzer.

“Ennnnddddyyyy,” repeated the others. They touched their cans to each other’s, then tilted them back and drank deep.

Collin Park leaned out from the beverage tent. “Maria, you want another?” He shook an empty hard seltzer can. “Let’s get one more then head back to our seats.”

“You have to come sit with us,” Maria told Endy, giving Collin a thumbs-up. “Sebastian’s friends are so much fun!”

Endy stood still, shaking her head, bewildered.

“Oh, I almost forgot. This is for you.” Maria reached into her sports bra and pulled out an envelope withEndy Andrews, Asst. Director of Racquet Sportsscrawled on the front.

She hugged Endy. “I’ll save a seat for you,” she called over her shoulder and joined arms with Morgan. Inez came up behind them, draping her long arms over both their shoulders.

Endy’s eyebrows screwed together as she studied the envelope. She tore the flap open and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Her jaw dropped.

Inside was a check for $15,000 dollars made out to Picklers Youth Pickleball League, bearing the signature of Barbara Tennyson.

44

The second game was starting up. Fans in the stands stopped dancing and chatting and settled back into their seats. But the atmosphere was still buzzing, and the tension was high.

Endy threaded her way through the row to the empty seat next to Maria, who pulled down her sunglasses and winked. Endy grabbed her hand and squeezed.

The loud music muted, and the referee announced, “Game two. Time in. Zero, zero, two.”

With a serious look on his face, Paco nodded to Sebastian, who nodded back. And then Paco served the ball crosscourt to Joel.

Agitated from losing the last game, Joel was more than ready for Paco’s serve. He put his weight forward and propelled himself into the court, catching the served ball and returning it just in front of Paco’s feet. Paco tried to hit the ball but instead swatted it into the net.

“Come on,” Joel said under his breath, with a tight nod of his head.

“Side out! Zero, zero, one,” the ref called as Joel and Brayden now got to serve.

Joel caught the ball tossed to him and walked to the back of the court, waiting for Sebastian and Paco to take their places. Then he dropped the ball and served it deep to Sebastian, who returned it and then moved smoothly forward.

Joel caressed the ball over the net, and then Sebastian did the same. Paco and Brayden bounced on their feet, watching, as the ball stayed low and soft. Then Joel flicked the ball wide, and Paco returned it crosscourt. Joel pounced on the ball and hit it so quickly that Sebastian couldn’t react. Joel and Brayden got the first point.

Each point was challenging, with the two pairs equal in their play. The score remained tight throughout the game until finally each team was so near to closing out that the tension couldn’t possibly get any higher.

“Ten, eight, two,” called out the ref.

One point away from winning the game, Brayden took a deep breath. He released the ball and swung hard, but his serve sailed over the net, landing out past the baseline. Brayden groaned, closed his eyes, and his head fell back.

“Side out!” called the ref. “Eight, ten, one.”

Sebastian served to Joel, then moved in along with Paco. Joel hit the ball midcourt, and Sebastian smoothly scooped the ball just over the middle of the net. Brayden, with his forehand in the middle, reached for the ball, but Joel rushed forward and darted in front of Brayden and hit a backhand that sent the ball straight into the net.

“Point! Nine, ten, one.”

Sebastian and Paco swapped sides. Brayden, seeing that Sebastian was serving to him, took three steps back, far behind the baseline, and was in a great position to take the serve. His return landed midcourt, just as Sebastian ran forward and slammed a forehand right at Joel, whose paddle deflected the shot, sending it out of the court.

“Point! Ten, ten, one!”

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