Page 19 of Sun, Sea and Spotted Squid

Wolfgang stepped aside to let him in. A bottle of vodka and a glass sat on the side table. Sam glanced around the room. Wolfgang had done very little to personalise it. A stack of books sat neatly on the chest of drawers, mostly marine biology texts. Sam raised an eyebrow at the sight of aHunger Gamesnovel among them.

Beyond that, nothing in the room revealed much about Wolfgang as a person.

“Want to get drunk again?” Wolfgang asked, noticing him scanning the place.

Sam dropped into the chair. “Why not?”

Wolfgang poured them both a drink before sitting on the bed. Sam smelt his cologne from across the room—all spices and musk. Normally Sam would have associated it with winter. Somehow it suited Wolfgang perfectly in any season. Sam doubted Wolfgang had the faintest idea what effect he had on people.

“How come you’re in here getting drunk on your own?” Sam asked.

Wolfgang took a swig and grimaced. “No one invited me out.”

Guilt twisted inside Sam. For the first time, he truly considered things from Wolfgang’s perspective. While the rest ofthem had bonded, Wolfgang had remained isolated in his tiny room, drinking alone.

“I…uh…”

“It’s fine. You needed to relax. I understand.”

So Wolfgang had overheard them in the kitchen. Once again, Sam’s big mouth had landed him in trouble.

“These walls are very thin,” Wolfgang explained.

“I’m sorry. That was mean of me,” Sam admitted.

Wolfgang refilled their glasses.

“I’m not easy,” he said eventually. “I think I know everything, and oh boy, do I find it hard when I realise I don’t.”

“Oh, I know you know everything. Especially about squid spots.”

Wolfgang raised his glass. “You have got me there.”

They stared at one another for a moment before both dissolving into laughter.

“You suit laughing,” Sam said, taking another drink.

“I will make you a deal then, Sam,” Wolfgang replied. “You make me laugh, and I will make you work. How does that sound?”

To Sam, it sounded like a very good deal indeed.

“You’re on, Wolfgang. Here’s to a formidable team.”

EIGHT

“Hi, Mum.”

Sam hadn’t called home since arriving in Spain, and guilt finally caught up with him. Two weeks into his Spanish adventure, he knew he should probably share some of it. Of course he texted every day but his mother was old-school when it came to communications.

“Oh, Sam, it’s wonderful to hear your voice. How is it all going?”

“It’s good. I’m having a great time. I can’t believe how hot it is.”

His room still resembled a furnace.

“You’ve been gone ages. Are you eating properly? Are you getting on with everyone? What is the aquarium like?”

Sam thought about his roommates. Astrid and Maria were taking their mission to find Spanish lovers very seriously, and a steady stream of candidates had already found their way to the apartment.