Chapter 4
FOUR
It might have been an exciting morning, but lunch brought Sam down to earth.
In an attempt to show off, he went for the Walrus Waffle, which turned out to be a lukewarm waffle topped with a tiny smattering of cheese and hot sauce.
His mouth had still not returned to full duties post-hangover so dealing with the heat and swallowing the doughy concoction proved a challenge.
Wolfgang slid across a can of purple soda.
“You seem to be struggling with that,” he said, with the slightest hint of a smile.
Sam’s cheeks were burning as he took the drink.
“Where are we all from?” Ruben asked the table. “I was born in a little town called Bunol up in the mountains.”
Up close, he most certainly lay on the attractive side of things. Perhaps not in the same drop-dead-gorgeous league as Wolfgang. Even so Ruben’s shaved head, stubble and hint of a hairy chest under his shirt made for a winning combination.
Astrid went first. “I’m from Uppsala in gorgeous Sweden.”
As Sam was next to her, all eyes lay on him.
“Newcastle in England.”
“Almost as cold as Sweden,” Ruben said with a wink. “Maria?”
“I’m from Naples, Italy. Not cold, thank you.”
“We’re from Marseille,” Genevieve cut in.
They all stared at Wolfgang, who appeared surprised he would be part of the conversation.
“I’m from Münster in Germany.”
“What a cosmopolitan group we are,” Paul commented.
“I’m sure we will all bring something special to the summer,” Ruben added, still looking at Sam, who prayed no one else had noticed.
“When do we start the real work, Ruben?” Wolfgang asked.
Ruben held up his hands. “You’re keen. I like that.
Now we have the moment of truth. You will be paired to focus on one particular species during your time here.
Don’t worry, you will have a supervisor who will show you how it’s done.
We will still need you to help around the aquarium.
However, this will form the main part of your time with us. ”
“Get me in that boat,” Astrid said.
“Ah,” Ruben replied. “All in good time. Before you do that, you will be expected to do significant research on land.”
Astrid’s face dropped. “What?”
Ruben shrugged. “There is little point sending you out with no knowledge. This is not for fun, we need to progress the various projects. That’s why we send you in pairs.”
Everyone glanced at one another. Genevieve put a protective hand on Paul’s arm, making the statement she would kill anyone who dared match with him. Sam secretly hoped they would get separated. It might do them both some good.
If he had to choose between Astrid or Maria, he would go with the latter. Astrid had the potential to get annoying very quickly.
However, the clipboard Ruben was now brandishing told him the decision had already been made. Sam had a deep-down suspicion about what that would be.
“Paul and Genevieve, you will be working for Sara with our turtles.”
Genevieve clapped her hands together and gave Paul a kiss.
“You can find Sara down by the exhibits. She will tell you more.”
Paul and Genevieve practically skipped off for an afternoon handling cute turtles. Sam jealously watched them go. Hopefully Ruben had more exciting things up his sleeve.
The remaining four grinned at one another in anticipation.
“Astrid and Maria, you are working with our dolphins. Dolores is waiting for you.”
Astrid and Maria got up and gave Sam sympathetic squeezes on the shoulder before heading off on their exciting mission.
Sam stole a glance at Wolfgang, who never took his eyes off Ruben.
His face might have been unreadable, but Sam sensed the disappointment flooding through him.
He probably worried he had been lumped with the resident pervert.
“That leaves Sam and Wolfgang,” Ruben said, with a beam that Sam tried to return. “You guys are going to be our squid experts.”
Did he say squid? Is he for real?
One group got turtles, the other got dolphins and they got squid? Sam’s glamorous summer of boat hopping and discovering exciting breeds of marine life began disappearing quicker than water down a plughole.
“Miguel is in the squid house. Have a wonderful afternoon.”
For a fleeting moment, Sam considered demanding something more exciting. Then he caught Wolfgang and his mesmerising blue eyes.
I need to change whatever awful opinion he’s formed about me.
Sam would weather the squid show. No matter what it took.
“Right then, partner,” he said. “Let’s do this.”
Wolfgang nodded and marched out of the cafeteria with Sam in hot pursuit.
“Squid, eh?” he said, after catching Wolfgang up on the pathway. “Not very inspiring.”
“It will be what we make it.”
“Yes of course. Where do you think we should go?”
Wolfgang strode over to a huge map and quickly found the building. “This way.”
Feeling like the naughty kid at school who wasn’t allowed out of the teacher’s sight, Sam walked with him. The pathways were crammed with people and a child ran past, entangling Sam with her clownfish balloon.
What was it with kids in this town?
He tried to free himself while the child promptly burst into loud tears until her annoyed father appeared and helped. Sam rolled his eyes at Wolfgang and forced a weak smile onto his face. Wolfgang simply glanced the other way before resuming their journey.
“Are you enjoying things so far?” Sam asked after a full two minutes of not talking.
“Not yet. We’ve only just begun, I suppose.”
“Coo-ee,” a voice behind called. “Sam. Is that you?”
Sam’s stomach dropped. He looked back to find Mrs Talkative from the plane making a beeline for them. She had an I love paella T-shirt and a bright pink sunhat on.
“A friend of yours?” Wolfgang asked with the faintest hint of amusement on his face.
Before Sam could answer, a puffing Mrs T bore down upon them.
“I knew it was you when I saw you coming out of the café. I was all the way over there by that walrus. Have you seen him? Ugly brute.”
She took hold of his hands like an auntie who hadn’t seen him in an age.
“I lost you at the airport. Such a shame, I was going to offer to come into the city with you. You were worried about finding your digs, weren’t you?”
She turned to Wolfgang.
“It’s his first time abroad on his own, you know. I’ve been up all night fretting you might have got lost.”
“I found it fine, thank you,” Sam replied through gritted teeth while trying to extract himself from her surprisingly strong clutches.
“Good boy. Your mother will be proud.”
With a tug, he managed to regain control of his hands.
“Well, lovely to see you,” he said. “We’re working so we might get in trouble if we’re hanging around.”
She clapped her hands to her mouth. “Of course you are. Silly me. I’d better leave you to it. You boys have a lovely, lovely day. Now, Sam, I’m staying at the Alhambra Hotel, right over there on the beach. If you need anything at all, come and find me. I’ll be here for the whole week.”
“Thank you,” he said before nodding at Wolfgang. “Miguel will be waiting for us.”
They set off down the bath. Embarrassment scorched across his neck, which would no doubt please Wolfgang no end.
“What a charming woman,” Wolfgang said, when they were out of earshot. “I didn’t realise you had a nanny here.”
Sam revved up for a counterattack when he saw a glint in Wolfgang’s eye. Unwittingly, Mrs Talkative might have done him the biggest of favours.
“She only works weekends. I get to be a big brave boy in the week.”
Wolfgang laughed, which made Sam giggle. Wolfgang suited being a bit more relaxed. Then and there, Sam made it his mission to bring this out in him over their time here.
He loved a project.
“Well, now the ice is well and truly broken, let’s go and see what the squid have in store for us.”