Damn. It has been the weakness of Thora’s life that she can’t resist a scientist. “She might be trying to ruin my day.”

“We need more data.” He leans forward, lowering his voice as he looks sideways at the bar. “Have you ever gotten the sense that Brigitta doesn’t like you?”

His murmur actually makes Thora shiver. Ridiculous. “No, she’s been nothing but pleasant to me.”

He sits back, triumphant. “Then why not assume she’s trying to improve your day, rather than ruin it?”

Thora tries as hard as she can not to smile. “You’re very sure of yourself.”

He is smiling for the both of them. “Are you an engineer?”

Thora gives him a deadpan look.

He frowns in confusion. “Is that a no?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought that was the start of a chat-up line. Are you an engineer? Because . . .” Thora tails off. “Shit, I don’t know. Something about screws.”

He laughs, sudden and loud. “No, I just—I saw the wiring diagrams.” He taps the papers under her elbow. “But, that’s a good one. I’ll definitely use that in future.”

Thora smiles despite herself. Their eyes meet, and something passes between them, something she didn’t think she believed in. “Who are you, anyway?” she demands, almost angry.

“Santi,” he says, holding out his hand.

She takes it. “I’m giving you until we finish this drink. Then I’m going back to my original plan of morosely drinking alone. Deal?”

He throws up his hands. “Seems like I don’t have a choice.”

They talk, starting with how long they have lived in Cologne—Santi since he came to study for his master’s, Thora since her parents moved here from England when she was ten. Within an hour, they are deep in conversation about where they’ve come from and where they long to go. “There’s so much out there,” Santi declares, pounding the table for emphasis. “I don’t understand people who can look at this”—he gestures vaguely at the bar, the other drinkers, the square outside “as if it’s all there is.”

Thora’s mind is made up. She takes his hand and gets to her feet.

Santi looks up at her like she’s pulled him out of one world and into another. “What are you doing?”

“Leaving,” she says. “With you.”