Page 45 of Never Again (Never Blue)

Jude

Tali metme in the hotel lobby at eight in the morning. She looked like a ray of goth sunshine with her black V-neck, ripped black jeans, black Chucks, and bright, truly happy smile.

Her hands were tucked in her back pockets as I approached. When I stopped in front of her, she brought them to my shoulders and gave me a hug so fast, I didn’t have time to react.

“Nope. Unacceptable,” I said, rocking on my heels with a smirk on my face.

She let out a puzzled laugh. “What?”

“That weak hug I did not get to participate in.”

Shaking her head, she pushed my shoulder before brushing by me and heading for the exit. “Come on. Prague is waiting for us, and I have a conference call at noon I have to be back for.”

Tali and I took our time walking in the morning sun. Prague was fucking gorgeous. It hadn’t been destroyed during World War II like so much of Europe, and some of the buildings were hundreds of years old. The history ran deep in the city, with its castle on the hill, hidden courtyards, and stretches of orange and red roofs.

We ended up finding a cafe down a narrow, cobblestone side street and ordering coffee and breakfast.

I held up the one of the pastries Tali had chosen for us to share. “This is becoming something of a habit.”

“Kolaches?” she asked, being purposely obtuse.

“I thought kolaches were a Texas thing,” I said, playing along.

“Definitely a Czech thing, adopted by Texans.” She tipped her chin toward the one in my hand. “That one is poppy seed.”

I took a bite, chewing the sweet yeasty dough slowly. “That’s good shit. Better than the sausage one I got at a gas station in San Antonio.”

She groaned. “Oh no, not gas station kolaches.” She held another one up to me. “Try this, and you’ll never go back, even if you’re starving.”

I bit into the sausage and cheese pastry, and nearly got hard from how delicious it was.

“Holy shit.”

A wide smile spread across her face. “Did I ruin you for all future pastries?”

Swallowing, I wiped my mouth with a paper napkin. “Yeah, Stripes. I’m ruined.” Seeing her smile like that, I really was. Reclining in my chair, I held my coffee cup in both hands. “What’s our plan for today?”

“What if we don’t have a plan? Let’s just see how things go.”

My eyebrows shot up. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“Well.” She pursed her lips as she swirled the coffee in her cup. “I haven’t done the tourist thing in Prague in ages. Normally if I have time here, I park myself in a beer garden with a few of the crew and drink all afternoon.”

I bowed my head, shoving my fingers through my hair. “Guess I’m killing those plans.”

She kicked me under the table. “I’m where I want to be, Jude.”

My eyes darted to hers in surprise. “Me too, Stripes.”

Tali laughed softly. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that name coming from a man with grey hair.”

My mouth tipped up at the edges. “I’d say sorry, but they were hard earned.”

Her phone buzzed on the table, and she pulled her eyes away from mine to check the screen. The look on her face as she read her message sent a stab of jealousy straight through my gut until she showed me the screen.

Hey, Tali-bear. Kayla is standing over my shoulder, dictating her next question for Nick Fletcher. She wants you to ask him his favorite tea and if he takes honey in it.

“Kayla has a thing for Nick,” Tali explained.

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