Page 51 of Sun, Sea and Spotted Squid

About a month after he’d touched down at Manchester airport, feeling as if his life had finished, he walked into Departures with his mother in tow. She was already misty-eyed which was more than enough to make Sam burst into tears.

“Come here,” she said, giving him a cuddle and holding on to him with all her strength.

“I mocked you last time,” he said, pulling back. “Now I’m the soft one.”

She got out a tissue and wiped his eyes. “Now you buck your ideas up, young man. You’re going to have another adventure. Only this time, keep your underwear on.”

A group of young men walking by collapsed into fits of laughter. Sam turned to his mother and they giggled.

“Maybe you should come with me,” he said. “You can spoil my chances even if I get close to someone.”

She straightened his jacket. “Remember what I said, love. No man is worth ruining your chances for.”

To his relief, Sam was seated next to a man who seemed intent on using the flight time to watch every movie available. There would be no interrogation.

I wonder what Mrs Talkative is doing now?

They were on a night flight so he had no chance of daydreaming out of the window which was a disappointment. He’d only played that game in Europe. It seemed a shame to miss seeing the whole of Africa from above. He would have to wait for the return flight. Whenever that would be.

The rest of his travellers appeared to have fallen asleep but it eluded Sam. The excitement at going to work on a completely different continent was pushing the pining for Wolfgang firmly from centre stage.

He tiptoed down the aisle to the toilets. Typically, all were in use. The handsome cabin crew member who had been flashing Sam a kilowatt smile the whole flight appeared from behind the curtain.

“Hi, is there anything I can get you?”

Normally Sam would have replied with some witty banter. Today he had zero interest.

“No thanks,” he replied. “Just waiting for the loo.”

He leant against the side and looked Sam up and down. Talk about blatant.

“Holiday or business?”

“Business. I’m working outside Cape Town for a while.”

“Sounds glamorous.”

He would probably change his mind if Sam told him he would be squid wrangling for the foreseeable future.

“Not as much as your job.”

He bit his bottom lip. It was obvious he’d done this routine many times. “True. I have a man in every destination.” He stopped, seemingly lost in thought. “But not in Cape Town. I’m going to be all by myself.”

The conversation made Sam uncomfortable more than anything.

“I’m sure that won’t last very long,” he managed, desperately willing someone to vacate a bathroom.

He disappeared behind the curtain and quickly returned with a card.

“I’ve written my hotel down. Ask for Darryl Freeman. You’ll easily find me.”

Thankfully a woman came out and with a hurried thanks, Sam squeezed inside. Sitting down on the toilet, he took in his reflection in the tiny mirror.

“No man is worth ruining your chances for.”

NINETEEN

Cape Town came as a huge culture shock from Valencia, let alone Newcastle. Sam hadn’t expected such a cosmopolitan place. People in suits or brightly coloured clothes bustled around the streets. Cafés spilled onto pavements and were packed with people lunching in the sunshine.