Page 43 of Sun, Sea and Spotted Squid

“I really liked you, Wolfgang,” Sam said, with a sigh. “From the beginning. When we got together. When you said you needed to speak to me…well I thought it might add up to more than a roll in the hay.”

He reached across for Sam’s hand, who quickly shifted it out of reach. “Don’t,” Sam said. “Please.”

Wolfgang nodded and stared out to sea. Sam took a huge bite of his churro. He’d never been one for eating his problems away, but this could convert a man. The crispy fried dough was a taste sensation.

“I didn’t come to Valencia to make friends, let alone to meet someone,” Wolfgang said carefully. “That is why I didn’t tell you about Claudia. Not because I wanted some fun before goinghome. I have never, ever had feelings like this for another man. I told you that. Do you think this is easy for me?”

Sam believed that what had happened between them had been unplanned. He didn’t have a problem with that. He did, however, take issue with being treated like a commodity.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you,” Wolfgang continued. “Every night this week I thought to myself, should I go over? Should I talk to him?”

“Why didn’t you?”

He frowned. “You’re not all that approachable, you know.”

Sam had to admit he had been hard on him. Every time they had spoken at the aquarium he’d given Wolfgang a scowl for his trouble. His mother had always said that his temper put up a wall between him and the outside world.

“How come you aren’t in Madrid?”

Wolfgang threw the remainder of his pastry at Sam. “Because I’d rather be ignored by you.”

Sam grabbed the crust and lobbed it for the seagulls that had taken up sentry watch near them. They all squabbled for the treat.

“I can’t fault your taste.”

“There you go. Two beers.”

The barman put the drinks down and Wolfgang paid. None of them had been to the place below their rooms. It seemed only right that they should have at least one drink there.

Also, they may have formed an uneasy truce, yet Sam didn’t want far to travel if he needed to storm off to his room.

“You choose the nicest places,” Wolfgang said with a sniff.

“I suppose we have to celebrate the last Saturday before we go home.”

He caught Sam’s eye. “Home. Then what?”

Sam took a hefty swig of his beer. This was the question he’d been pondering himself all those nights in his room when he became sick of reading about bloody squid.

“No idea yet,” he replied. “Something overseas definitely. I’m not letting the last couple of weeks ruin my whole life. You’re not that hot.”

Wolfgang winced. Sam wasn’t about to pull his punches.

“Ruben said the work we’ve done with the squid has given me a niche. There are other places studying them and with a reference from him, it should be straightforward.”

Wolfgang winked. “A squid specialist, eh? Don’t you want a change of creature?”

Sam burst out laughing. “Why? Because squid would remind me of the dastardly yet dashing German hunk who broke my heart? Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Dashing?”

“Dastardly too,” Sam replied with a sweet smile. “What are you going to do? Marry Claudia, have babies and a lot of extracurricular sex for the rest of your life?”

There were so many men in the world like Wolfgang. Sam didn’t get it. He’d never been able to be anyone other than himself.

“Ouch,” Wolfgang said.

“The truth can be a painful thing.”