AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I found refuge at the bar, letting the atmosphere seep into my pores.
“Ahoj. Drink?” The bartender—a young man in suspenders with a thin mustache—said.
I smiled and nodded. “Ano prosím,”I said, trying out my limited Google Translate. “What’s good here?”
He smirked. “In Prague, we drink beer. But I have spirits—”
“A beer would be good.Prosím.”
He nodded and swiftly filled a large stein from the tap with a pale lager. I wasn’t really a beer drinker—I mean, did anyone in LA drink beer?The calories, the carbs, oh my!But I was a long way from Los Angeles’s scrutiny.
I eyed the giant mug and willed my stomach not to bloat. I had limited work attire with me, and it would be super duper convenient if my slacks buttoned tomorrow. But I took a long, refreshing sip and felt a wave of satisfaction that eradicated all my fears.
I turned on my barstool and took in the cozy scene. The hum of laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the rolling cadence of Czech conversation filled the air. Locals, with their hands cradling the same oversized mugs of beer that seemed to perpetually froth, were ensconced in lively banter around tables that bore the marks of generations. Each laugh, each raised glass, was a note in the symphony of the pub's life.
Nearby, a fireplace crackled and the firelight danced across the burnished brass of ancient beer taps and stretched out over the bar's polished mahogany surface. The bartender poured drinks with a rhythm that was a performance in itself, his placid expression never faltering as he chatted with regulars and glided across the back bar.
Drawn into the pub's comforting fold, I felt a disconnect from the pace of life I knew, seduced by the promise of simple pleasures—good beer, good company, and the timeless embrace of tradition. It seemed like the kind of place where you could forget all time, and wake up a hundred years from now never knowing.
Then, in a secluded alcove cast in the gentle drama of shadow and flame, I saw him—Ondrej. He stood with a group of men and women but still managed to convey an air of solitude amid the convivial chaos. Dark hair, inquisitive stare, tall, lean posture. The contrast between his calm and the pub's vibrancy only underscored his presence.
He was focused on an animated conversation with a small group, presumably people he knew well, given how closely they were standing. But then he glanced up, and our eyes locked. I froze, sucking in a breath. His surprise mirrored my own. I waved nervously, not entirely sure how to navigate his one. He was clearly not my biggest fan, and I wasn’t about to make this more awkward. He didn’t immediately respond to my friendly gesture, so I started to turn back around and hide my embarrassment in my beer. Then, with a nonchalant lift of his glass, he beckoned me over. I froze. No, I’d imagined that. Those pesky butterflies started up in my gut again. When I didn’t immediately respond, he motioned again. Ok then. He was serious. It’s ok. Sienna. You can do this!
I took a deep breath and a long pull from my beer and nervously slipped from my barstool. I forced myself to smile as I meandered across the room toward Ondrej and his friends, my hands in a death grip around my beer.
“One day in town, and you’ve already found the best place to drink,” Ondrej said. There was a glint in his eye and a smug little smile tugging at the corner of his full lips. I hadn’t noticed just howfullthey were before…
“I guess I have a good eye for these things. Call it a professional byproduct.”
The little smirk stayed on his mouth, but I saw a flash of something like annoyance in his eyes. I made a mental note not to talk about work.
“I really love this place, though. It’s like it’s plucked right out of an old novel,” I said, my eyes scanning the tableau of cozy merrymakers huddled around their beers.
"It's a local favorite," Ondrej said matter-of-factly. “Thankfully, it hasn't become too popular with tourists. Nobody wants foreigners coming in and ruining everything." His eyes met mine as he said this, a playful glint in them but a note of seriousness. My cheeks warmed against my will.
"Foreigners are absolutely the worst," I echoed, trying to match his light tone despite the fluttering in my stomach.
Ondrej turned toward his group of friends, gesturing toward me. "This is Sienna," he introduced me in English, then added something in Czech. I caught my name amid the unfamiliar words, and a ripple of laughter followed. I smiled, though a part of me was itching to know what he'd said and also not wanting to know a damn thing if I was the butt of a joke.
“Sienna, this is Andel, Brigita and Jáchym.”
"It's nice to meet you," I offered, hoping my smile looked genuine and not strained. They turned their attention toward me, their expressions a blend of curiosity and mild skepticism.
"You are the one trying to buy his hotel?" Brigita asked. She was tall and thin with striking features and a sharp blue gaze. Her English was heavily accented, and her tone was direct but not unkind.
"Well, my company is. It's not me personally." I found myself nervously shifting from one foot to the other, my snow boots thumping against the wooden floor.
Adel—a man with long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail—leaned closer. “The big, bad corporate wolf, huh?" I laughed nervously, the combination of tension and language barrier lending uncertainty to his jesting.
“Don’t worry, Andel. She won’t blow our house down,” Ondrej said, shooting me a wry look.
I drained my beer. On the awkward scale, this was starting to tip it.
“You want another?” Andel said, nodding toward my now empty stein.
“Oh, sure,” I said, awkwardly extending my empty mug.
“I’ll get it,” Ondrej interrupted forcefully. Andel shot him a curious look, then shrugged.
