Page 17

E ndy stood between the courts watching the kids, while a loud, persistent honking blared from a car alarm in the nearby parking lot. Her shoulders felt tense, and she gnawed at her thumbnail.

As director of racquet sports, Joel was already signed up to play. He would get to pick his junior partner, and Endy felt certain Joel would choose one of the more athletic boys. He had told Endy that he’d be by the Picklers’ practice that day to scout for his perfect junior partner.

The practice was well attended, with all fifteen courts filled with four kids each.

Endy had grouped the kids by age more than by ability for practice but would be sensitive to pairing partners during the Paddle Battle so that play would be equal during the competition.

That way, hopefully, everyone would have fun, and donors would reach deeper into their wallets.

She scanned the full courts when she heard the fight break out.

“You didn’t have to hit me in the face!”

“I didn’t do it on purpose. You walked into my shot.”

“No, I didn’t!”

“Yeah, man, you did. But look, I’m sorry you got hit with the ball. It didn’t hurt that much, right?”

The boy glared at Paco and turned away to walk back to the baseline.

Still at the net, Paco tossed the bright green plastic ball up and swiped at it with his paddle, sending the ball into the retreating kid’s back, right in the middle of the large zero printed on the back of his Celtics jersey.

A devilish grin spread across Paco’s face.

“Who’s the little hothead?” asked Joel, coming up behind Endy.

“Paco Lopez,” replied Endy, chewing at the inside of her cheek. “He’s kind of uncontrollable … but really, he is crazy talented.”

“More like plain old crazy, if you ask me,” Joel replied. He looked over the courts, his arms crossed and lips pursed, occasionally nodding. The players on the court closest to them played cautiously, methodically trading shots. Dinka, dinka, dinka, dinka … dinka … dinka … dinka.

Joel made a gagging noise. “Are we going to be here all night until somebody actually makes a point?”

Endy shot him a glance, then rolled her eyes. “Just choose a partner, Joel.”

He looked to the middle court where Paco was hitting the pickleball into the fence repeatedly as his partners stood at the net with frowns plastered on their faces. Joel shook his head. “Yeah, no,” he said. “Hard pass.”

Endy sighed.

But then, Joel pointed to the farthest court at a tall athletic boy moving with sure, quick movements. “Who’s that?”

“Brayden Sato. His mom works over in admin at the clubhouse.”

“He’s good. How old?”

“Sixteen, seventeen sometime this spring.”

They watched points being played, with Brayden serving, then moving forward and hitting a smooth shot over the net.

He stayed bent at his knees, his paddle up so when the ball came back to him, he returned it in a fluid move of his arm and wrist. Brayden was clearly the most competent player of all sixty kids across the filled courts.

“I want him,” said Joel. He snapped his fingers then put his index finger and thumb out and pointed at Brayden. “That’s my partner.”

“Of course he is,” replied Endy, drawing a number one next to Brayden’s name, and then again next to Joel’s. “You know, Joel, remember that the Paddle Battle is a fundraiser. We should be playing for fun.”

“It’s called Paddle Battle ,” replied Joel. “I play to win.”

Endy groaned. She turned from Joel just as an incredibly handsome, fit brunet gingerly walked toward them. A smile played at her lips—she couldn’t help herself.

“What are you doing here?” asked Joel, crossing his arms over his chest, obviously annoyed. The car alarm continued blaring in the distance.

Sebastian held up his hand in a small wave. “I just left physical therapy at the sports club and was driving by. Saw you two and thought I’d come see if I could help out with whatever you’re doing here.”

Joel plastered a smile on his face and stepped closer to Endy. “Endy and I have things handled.”

A shout came from the middle pickleball court. “Paco, stop it!”

They looked over to where Paco, his mouth full, spun in a circle spewing water like a sprinkler head.

“PAAAACCCCOOOO, stop!”

Sebastian looked from Joel to Endy, a corner of his mouth lifted. “Yep, sure looks like everything’s handled here.”

A whistle came from a car that had just rolled to a stop next to the courts. Through the open window, a woman shouted, “Jorge! Estoy aquí!”

“Sorry, Endy, but I have to leave. We gotta go visit my grandma in the hospital.” A young boy ran past, grabbing a backpack off the table on his way to the parked car.

Endy, Joel, and Sebastian stood rooted. “Um, okay …” Endy mumbled. “Wha—”

“They need another player!” came a shout from the middle court. Endy looked over and saw a player waving his hands above his head. Next to the boy, Paco hit the pickleball at the feet of the two girls waiting next to him, their threesome now missing a fourth.

“Paco, stop!” one of them yelled. But Paco ignored the plea and kept pestering the girls, who continued to yell.

Joel jerked his head, his eyebrows drawn together. “Do something about that, will you?” he said to Endy, running his hand through his hair. “I chose my partner, and now I’m outta here.”

Joel headed for the far court, his eyes focused on Brayden, his steps brisk. Endy glanced around at the other courts, then quickly followed behind Joel.

“Joel, hold up,” she called. “Wait for me so I can introduce you guys.”

After making sure Joel and Brayden had met, and explaining how the fundraiser would work, Endy hurried back to the other kids. By the time her attention returned to them, she saw that Sebastian had made his way onto the middle pickleball court and was holding a paddle.

He towered over Paco, and both wore looks of concentration. Paco gestured with his paddle at the net, then the baseline, then pointed at the ground and Endy heard him say, “Just stay out of the kitchen.”

“What’s the kitchen?”

“Just do what I say,” replied Paco, slapping a palm on his forehead.

“Alright, I guess I’m ready to play,” said Sebastian, nodding. He looked at the girls on the other side of the net.

“Okay,” Paco replied. “Let’s do it, losers.”

Sebastian was on the court with the three kids for the rest of their practice.

Being careful of his injured knee, he barely moved from his position, but because of his long arms and obvious comfort with a racquet in his hand, he barely had to.

Although he was a quick study, the girls won convincingly, and they skipped off the court with their ponytails swinging and big smiles across their faces.

Paco was obviously disgruntled, but he walked off the court beside Sebastian, both gripping their pickleball paddles tightly.

Endy corralled the kids at the end of practice, making sure they had their belongings, and then she collected all the pickleball gear left on the table and strewn across the grass.

Evening was coming on fast, and the country club had turned quiet.

Traffic from outside the club kept up a constant murmur, with the occasional deep thrum of a semitruck’s air brakes, the sound deep and low.

As most of the kids were being picked up, Paco leaned against the fence, his leg jiggling, waiting again for his mother. Sebastian approached him, carrying two paddles, and Endy saw them walk back onto the pickleball court.

Sebastian went to one side of the net, Paco to the opposite. Sebastian hit the first ball over, then Paco returned it. They hit the ball smoothly back and forth, with Endy counting the number of hits. Fifty-four before the ball finally hit the net, putting an end to their rally.

Endy heard a car door slam, and she saw Valentina crossing the grass toward her.

“Endy, thank you so much for always waiting for me to get here,” said Valentina, her hand on Endy’s arm. “I’m the Mexican mom who is always ‘almost there’ when I’m nowhere close to being ‘almost there.’” Valentina started laughing.

Endy grinned. “Well, I got up early this morning so I could be late for work without rushing.” She put her hands on her hips.

Valentina’s eyes crinkled. “We wake up late, and we’re late. We wake up early, and we’re …”

“… also late,” they said in unison, laughing so hard that they had to lean against each other.

“Girl,” said Valentina, wiping tears from her eyes. “We are so lucky. Promise that you’ll stay with us until Paco finishes high school. What would all of us do without you?” She put her arms around Endy and squeezed.

“Jeez, Mom, why do you always gotta be so huggy?” said Paco as he jogged up to them. “Let’s go.” He grabbed Valentina’s jacket sleeve and dragged her toward the car. Walking away, Valentina put her arm around her son’s shoulders and turned back to give Endy a wink.

Endy smiled as she watched them walk to the car. Then she turned to the mess remaining under the awning.

There, Sebastian sat on a tabletop, his feet resting on the bench seat.

His hairline was damp, and he pulled the hem of his T-shirt up to wipe the sweat from his face.

Endy glanced at his flat, well-defined muscles peeking out from the bottom of his shirt.

She inhaled deeply, smelling his delicious scent, a citrusy and earthy masculine combination.

Sebastian really was dreamy, and Endy’s body responded, leaving her a bit lightheaded.

Sebastian noticed her faltering, so he shifted on the table and patted next to him, the gesture both friendly and seductive.

He handed her a bottle of water as she settled in beside him.

“I’m glad you’re wearing that cute little skirt,” he said, looking her up and down out of the side of his eyes.

Endy felt her face getting warm, and she smoothed the lavender-colored tennis skirt across her thighs.

“You had that on when we first ran into each other. But then, you also had on a T-shirt that said ‘big dink energy.’”

Endy laughed. “I can’t believe you remember that. Sorry again for running off that day. I was late—”

“You don’t like being late,” Sebastian commented with a grin. “But you’re so good at it.”

Endy chuckled. “You overheard Valentina and me.”

“Yeah. It seems like she really likes you,” Sebastian said as he turned to fully face Endy. “All the people here seem to really like you.” A breeze blew across the table, and Sebastian tucked a loose strand of Endy’s hair behind her ear.

Endy smiled. “I like them, too.”

“I kind of really like you,” said Sebastian, a slow grin playing on his lips. His gaze covered Endy’s face, and over the hum of the desert slowing for the evening, they stared at each other with shallow breaths.

Endy looked down and bit her lower lip. Sebastian’s hand reached out and … Clunk! A hard bright green plastic ball flew through the air, hitting and bouncing off Endy’s head.

“He likes you!” Paco called out, making kissing noises as he ran up to the table. “Forgot something!”

He grabbed his backpack from underneath them and ran back to his mom’s car.