Page 18 of Sun, Sea and Spotted Squid

“Surprise drinks each round?” he suggested, and the girls nodded enthusiastically.

Maria chose a Blood Orange cocktail complete with a syringe of syrup, while Sam countered with a Purple Rain—a delicious mix of vodka, gin, lemon and lime. The alcohol had already taken effect, and he couldn’t stop laughing at Astrid’s story involving a fitness instructor and a leg press machine.

“Oh look, isn’t that Genevieve and Paul?” Maria asked.

Sam stopped mid-sip. The couple locked eyes with them briefly. When Sam waved, they suddenly became fascinated by something across the square and quickly disappeared.

“They only have eyes for each other.” Astrid declared.

“So rude,” Sam muttered.

“Ah, come on. Haven’t you ever been in love like that?” Maria asked.

Sam was hardly inexperienced yet he had never had that kind of love. He’d had flings before, during and after university. None had amounted to more than a few weeks of distraction before something else caught his attention.

His friends called him Mr Heartbreaker, though he never saw himself that way. If Mr Right appeared one day and turned his world upside down, Sam would be ready for it. What hedefinitely wouldn’t do was let someone dictate his life the way Genevieve clearly did with Paul.

“Love hasn’t been on my agenda yet,” Sam said. “Who wants to have their life reduced like that? No thanks.”

“Very wise,” Astrid agreed, lifting her drink.

Then her gaze fixed somewhere over Sam’s shoulder. He instinctively started to move before a sharp kick struck his shin.

“What the hell did you do that for?” he demanded, rubbing his leg.

“You were about to stare. Don’t deny it.”

“Is there some law against staring in Spain?”

Astrid pouted dramatically. “There is when a couple of hot men are behind you. Why don’t you be a darling and get us some more drinks?”

“Because I got this round?”

“Scram,” she said, nudging his bruised shin again.

“Don’t do that again.” Scowling, Sam got up and headed for the bar.

By the time he returned, their table had been commandeered by strangers. Feeling ridiculous carrying three Blueberry Bombers, he scanned the square and spotted Astrid and Maria seated with two incredibly handsome men.

Astrid caught his eye and gave the faintest shake of her head. Maria noticed and offered an apologetic shrug. Clearly, Sam’s presence would ruin the mood.

“Here. You might as well have these,” Sam muttered to the strangers at the table before grabbing his jacket and making a hasty exit.

It didn’t take long for the reality to hit him—he had nowhere to go and nobody to spend the evening with. By the time he got home to Squid Towers, the pleasant buzz from the cocktails had vanished.

Switching on the hallway light, Sam noticed a picture pinned to his door. It showed a squid with a Post-it note attached.

You were right. Its spots are different. Sorry. WG.

Sam snatched the picture from the door and marched across the hall. This time, he knocked hard.

“Open if you’re decent,” he called.

The door opened almost immediately. Wolfgang looked as handsome as ever, especially in pyjama bottoms and a white T-shirt, though his expression remained uncertain.

“Are you drunk?” Wolfgang asked.

“I was. Now I’m not.”