Page 1 of In at the Deep End

Chapter One

Winchester, UK

May, 2026

Owen Lane was losing the will to live.

“I am never, ever, doing this again,” he muttered as he navigated his way through piles of boxes covering virtually every inch of floor space of the combined sitting and dining room. The movers had finally finished emptying the huge van that had contained everything he owned, and they were on their way to their next job.

Leaving me with chaos incarnate.

“You could’ve got them to put all this stuff in the right rooms, you know.” Callum was in the kitchen.

Owen snorted. “Where’s the fun in that?” He glanced in the direction of Callum’s voice. “I don’t hear a kettle boiling.”

A loud guffaw erupted. “That’s because I’m still looking for it. Maybe if you’d bothered to label the box ‘Essential’?”

“You’re here for your muscle power, not sarcasm and insults. And if I get any more lip from you, the first night you spend here will be in the barn at the bottom of the garden.”

Callum chuckled. “Don’t go saying things like that. I’d move in there in a heartbeat.”

That put a dent in what was left of Owen’s good mood, and that was hanging on by a thread.

I wouldn’t be his age again, not in these times.

Owen couldn’t imagine being forced to live with a parent because he couldn’t afford to get on the housing ladder. Cyn had the room, that wasn’t an issue, but for God’s sake, Callum was twenty-seven.

He has his own electrician’s business. He should have his own space too, his privacy.

If Owen had had to resort to living with his parents, he’d have been climbing the walls. Not to mention having blue balls the size of oranges.

“Aha!”

Owen had to smile at the triumphant tone. “You found the kettle.”

“Yup. Now all I need is the teabags and we’re sorted.”

“Tesco bag by the sink. There’s milk too. I’ll be in the garden when it’s ready.”

Callum chuckled. “Don’t forget to leave a trail of breadcrumbs.”

Owen shook his head. “It’s not that big a garden.” He glanced at his surroundings. This had to be one of his two favourite rooms in the house. Floor-to-ceiling windows stood between him and the garden. He was looking forward to when the summer finally got its act together and he could stack the windows and open the room up to the whole space beyond.

A patio sat outside, with five steps leading up to a lawn bordered by trees and shrubs. A low black barn at the far end was almost hidden from view, and off to the left was the pool with its pool house.

Owen slid open the middle window and stepped out onto the patio. The early afternoon sun painted the tree tops a vibrant green. It would have sparkled on the surface of the water too, if not for the pool’s covering.

A low wall separated the patio from the raised lawn, and Owen perched on the edge of it.

All I need is a ton of cushions, and I’ve got a lot more seating space.

That would come in handy. He envisaged plenty of guests filling the space. Not to mention the low barn.

This place was made for parties.

Don’t run before you can walk. Get the house presentable first.

Butterflies landed on one of the shrubs, and Owen climbed the steps to get a better view. A rustle of leaves overhead alerted his attention, and he caught his breath at the sight of a squirrel, sitting on a branch above him, tail twitching, eyes locked on him, little fluffy white chest heaving.