Page 19 of The Dating Ban (Mind the Corbin Brothers #1)

Quack and Other Treatments

Theo

I t’s just after four when I finally pull up outside Jasper’s place.

The café had quietened down enough that I could leave my head waiter in charge, and I’d made good time getting to Little Hadlow.

Still, the whole drive, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I owed Ivy and Christa big time for stepping in.

I kill the engine and step out, stretching my legs as I take in the absurdity of my brother’s house.

It doesn’t matter how many times I see it—this place still looks like the kind where they interview some rich artist who moved to the country to ‘find inspiration’ and now exclusively drinks herbal tea from handmade pottery.

I unlock the front door with my key—my brothers and I have always had keys to each other’s places, it just makes life easier with everyone chipping in looking after Lu .

Stepping inside, I immediately hear laughter coming from the garden. I follow the sound, stepping onto the patio—only to stop dead in my tracks.

I blink.

I actually blink, just to make sure I’m seeing this right.

Ivy, Christa, and Lucy are sprawled out on a massive outdoor sofa, all three in bathrobes, all three with towels wrapped around their heads, and all three with what looks like a thick layer of moisturiser smeared across their faces.

Oh, and cucumber slices. On their eyes.

My lips twitch. “Do I even want to ask what’s happening here?”

Ivy lifts a cucumber slice and peeks at me. “Spa day.”

Before I can respond, Lucy casually grabs one of her cucumber slices, pops it into her mouth, and starts chewing.

Christa loses it. She howls with laughter, clutching her stomach. “She keeps eating them!” she wheezes. “We put them on her eyes, and two seconds later—gone!”

Lucy, completely unbothered, licks a bit of the mask off her fingers. “It’s yummy!”

I cross my arms, fighting back a grin. “Wait—what is on your faces?” I ask concerned.

Lucy sits up, her other cucumber slice sliding off. “It’s quack!”

Ivy snorts. “It’s quark, Lu.”

“That’s what I said,” she replies, looking up at her. “Quack.”

Something warm spreads through me, the way it always does when Lucy is unintentionally hilarious.

I glance at Ivy, who’s watching Lucy with that soft, affectionate look she gets when she thinks no one is noticing. And damn, if that doesn’t make something else tug at my chest.

I clear my throat. “So you’re telling me you’re all sitting here, covered in cheese?”

“It’s not cheese,” Ivy says, wiping a little off her cheek. “It’s quark with honey and lemon juice. It’s actually good for your skin.”

Christa nods sagely. “It’s very European.”

I shake my head, exhaling through a laugh. “Of course it is.”

I glance at the side table where three glasses of what looks like sparkling wine are sitting. My brows lift. “And you’re drinking—”

“Fizzy apple juice,” Ivy cuts in before I can even finish the question. “We’re not that irresponsible.”

I chuckle, shoving my hands in my pockets. “So… you are introducing my daughter to the finer sides of life?”

“She loves it,” Christa defends, still giggling.

Lucy nods seriously, wiping her hands on her bathrobe. “It’s a real spa day.”

I shake my head, sighing. “And where exactly did all of this come from?”

Ivy tilts her head toward Christa. “She brought the spa here.”

Christa waggles her brows. “If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad will go to the mountain.”

I watch them for a beat—the way Christa is still chuckling to herself, the way Lucy is wriggling to get comfy in her pink robe, and the way Ivy is reclining with zero shame, looking like this is exactly where she’s meant to be .

And honestly? I don’t know if I should be impressed or completely charmed.

Definitely both.

Before I can dwell on that thought, Lucy tugs at her dressing gown with little fists as she turns to me with wide, serious eyes.

“Daddy, you have to come in the pool," she demands.

I raise a brow. “I really don’t.”

“Yes, you do!” She gestures dramatically at the hot tub. “It’s so warm, and it makes bubbles, and it’s like a bath but better!”

“I think I’ll survive without it, Ladybug.”

She huffs, then points at the fancy watch on Christa’s wrist. “When the beep happens, we wash off the quack—”

“Quark,” Ivy corrects with a giggle, not even bothering to open her eyes.

“That’s what I said,” Lucy insists. “The quack comes off and then we go back in the pool. That’s the spa rules.”

I shake my head. “Still gonna pass, Lu.”

Before she can argue, the sound of a closing door draws our attention to the house.

Jasper and Geoff are crossing through the kitchen and step outside; Jasper looking pale, with his arm in a cast but otherwise in relatively good spirit.

Geoff, as always, looks effortlessly put together—sleeves rolled up neatly, hair barely out of place, exuding that calm, slightly smug older-brother energy that he’s way too good at.

I frown and cross my arms. “What are you doing here?”

Geoff raises a brow. “Nice to see you too, Theo.”

“I thought you had a photoshoot today.”

“I did,” he says easily, rolling his shoulders. “Finished as soon as I could. And since you made it very clear in the family chat that Lucy was looked after, I figured I’d head straight to the hospital to make sure Jasper had someone to bring him back.”

I bite my tongue. “Oh.”

Jasper sighs. “It’s very touching having two grown men fuss over me, really.”

Geoff smirks. “You did break your arm falling out of your own hot tub.”

“I slipped.”

“Right,” Geoff says. “ Slipped .”

Jasper mutters something under his breath before waving his good hand toward the hot tub. “Anyway, since I can’t enjoy it, the rest of you might as well.”

Geoff eyes the bubbling water with interest. “Now that is a good idea. Three hours at a hospital is the opposite of relaxing. I think I’ve earned a hot tub soak.”

Christa claps her hands. “Excellent. Everyone in.”

I shake my head. “No, thanks.”

Geoff gives me a pointed look. “Theo. Don’t be boring.”

“I’m not boring.”

“You kind of are,” Ivy chimes in.

Lucy bounces up onto her knees, grabbing my hand with her little fingers as their spa alarm goes off. “Daddy, pleeease?”

And just like that, my last shred of resolve crumbles.

Before I can even attempt to refuse again, Geoff claps me on the back. “I’m sure Jasper’s got spare swim shorts for us.”

Jasper waves his good hand. “The black ones should fit you.”

“Hold on—” I try, but Christa is already shooing me toward the house .

“Go, go, before we drag you in.”

I sigh heavily, but Lucy’s hopeful little face is beaming up at me, and I know I’ve already lost.

I shake my head, muttering under my breath as I head inside. “Completely outnumbered in my own family.”

As I turn toward the house, my gaze flickers back to Ivy, almost unconsciously. She’s watching me, a pink hue spreading from her neck upwards, disappearing under the thick layer of quark, her fingers fiddling with the edge of her bathrobe.

She blushes.

And for some reason, that tiny reaction hits me more than it should.

My stomach tightens, and my brain—useless, traitorous thing that it is—decides to remind me that beneath that dressing gown is definitely a swimsuit.

And Ivy in a swimsuit?

I swallow hard and force myself to look away before my thoughts go somewhere they really shouldn’t, especially not when I am surrounded by my brothers and my five-year-old daughter.

I am so in trouble.

By the time I’ve changed into Jasper’s black swim shorts and made my way back downstairs, the girls have already washed off the quark and are back in the hot tub.

Christa and Geoff are sitting on one side, chatting easily, while Lucy bobs happily in the centre, her swimming armbands keeping her upright as she sings her favourite nursery rhyme. That leaves the only available spot right next to Ivy.

Of course .

I step into the water, letting the heat wrap around me as I sink down into the seat beside her. The jets hum quietly beneath the surface, sending a gentle current swirling around us, and I can feel the warmth seep into my muscles.

Ivy shifts slightly, and under the bubbling water, our legs brush.

It’s nothing. Just an accident. But the contact is like a tiny shock to my system, and suddenly, my entire focus narrows to the fact that her bare skin is against mine.

Ivy doesn’t move away.

I tell myself not to overthink it. But now, every time she so much as shifts, I notice it.

The way her thigh just barely presses against mine.

The way the water moves around her, sending little ripples against me.

The way the fragrance of whatever coconut-scented thing she uses is way too distracting this close.

Across from me, Geoff is still watching with that insufferable grin.

And that’s when it clicks. He’s doing this on purpose. He left the seat next to Ivy free for me because apparently, he is now in the bloody matchmaking business.

I narrow my eyes at him in warning, but he just looks delighted with himself, like he knows exactly what he’s doing.

I had been clear. We are just friends. But of course, Geoff had decided that my words meant absolutely nothing.

Before I can give him another warning look, Jasper, sitting miserably on a patio chair, lets out a loud, exaggerated sigh.

“Enjoying my hot tub without me,” he says dramatically. “Truly, this is betrayal of the highest order. ”

“You invited us,” I remind him, stretching my left arm along the edge of the tub.

He scowls. “I take it back. You should all be suffering in solidarity with me.”

Geoff snorts. “I did my suffering at the hospital, thanks. You were very needy for a grown man.”

Jasper levels a glare at him. “I was literally injured.”

“You still made me get you a snack whilst waiting.”

“I hadn’t eaten in hours!” he grumbles. “I was in pain. In fact, I’m hungry again. Someone else should be feeding me.”

I smirk. “What do you want? A bib and a spoon?”

Christa chuckles, while Lucy, still floating between us, giggles. “Uncle Jasper, you should have yogurt,” she declares. “Daddy always says yogurt is good when you don’t feel well.”

“Want me to feed you some yoghurt?” I chuckle.

Jasper curses under his breath, rubbing his face with his good hand trying to hide that he is giving me a very clear one finger salute. “I can feel my dignity evaporating.”

Geoff smirks. “You had dignity?”

Jasper glares. “You’re so lucky my arm is broken.”

“Ignore him,” Geoff says to Christa, “Jasper’s the baby in the family.”

“Should have known he is the third child. They always are attention seekers,” Christa winks. Jasper’s protest is drowned out by mine and Geoff’s laughs; he just sinks lower in his chair pretending to ignore us whilst scrolling on his phone.

“So, Christa, what does a man have to do to woo you?” Geoff wiggles his eyebrows .

“You have to be called Alex and be my fiancé,” she flashes her engagement ring at him with a smug smile, dashing any hopes he may have had. Geoff is a constant flirt, so you never know if he is really interested in a woman or just toying with her.

“Ah, bad timing on my side,” he winks at her.

“Definitely wrong time,” she says dryly.

Geoff grins. “So you’re saying that in another life—”

“Nope.”

“Not even a little curious?”

“Not even a little.”

Jasper and I share a look. Then, in perfect sync, we both turn to Geoff.

“Ouch,” I laugh.

“Brutal,” Jasper adds.

Geoff tilts his head back dramatically. “Fine. I can take rejection.”

“You should be good at it by now,” I say.

Jasper grins. “It’s almost impressive, really.”

Geoff narrows his eyes at us. “You both suck.”

“Language!” I warn.

“Ivy is the single one,” Christa says with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

I catch the look that passes between my brothers—one of those silent, devious exchanges that means nothing good is about to happen for me.

Geoff turns to Christa, looking far too pleased with himself. “Well, Christa, since you are clearly the expert on happy relationships, got any tips for Theo? He’s been single so long, I’m starting to worry he’s forgotten how it works.”

I frown. “Excuse me? ”

Jasper jumps in, grinning. “Yeah, maybe you two can give him some pointers. You know, help him out a bit.”

I shoot them both a warning look whilst trying to ignore that my ears are burning. “I do not need help.”

Christa leans back against the edge of the hot tub with a thoughtful expression. “Well, Theo does have some good qualities. He makes excellent coffee. He’s not terrible to look at. He’s occasionally charming.”

“Wow,” I deadpan. “So generous.”

Geoff nods, playing along. “Yeah, but he works too much. He’s always busy. That’s probably his main issue.”

Jasper strokes his imaginary beard like he’s Sigmund Freud analysing my psyche. “Maybe he should practice flirting? You know, get back into the game.”

I groan loudly. “Okay, we’re not doing this.”

But before I can fully shut it down, a little voice pipes up.

“My daddy doesn’t need a girlfriend.”

The entire hot tub falls silent.

Lucy, still floating between us, looks very serious. She lifts her chin with determination. “He has me and he has Ivy.”

My mouth slams shut.

Ivy, beside me, stiffens slightly.

Jasper and Geoff share a look that screams victory whilst Christa is in a fit of giggles.

Geoff is the first to recover, pressing a hand over his mouth like he’s trying so hard not to laugh. “Well. There you go, Theo. Sorted.”

Jasper grins. “No need for a girlfriend when you’ve got Lucy and Ivy, huh?”

I feel Ivy shift beside me, but I don’t dare look at her .

Lucy nods firmly. “Daddy and Ivy are best friends,” she announces. “She’s fun, and she makes nice Santas, and she brings me yummy snacks. That’s way better than a girlfriend.”

Jasper chokes on a laugh. Christa snorts into her drink.

I clear my throat. “That’s… very sweet, Ladybug.”

She beams at me. “See?” Then, like she’s solved the most important problem in the world, she flops back into the water, kicking her feet with satisfaction.

I finally risk a glance at Ivy.

Her cheeks are pink… very pink.

She looks down, adjusting the strap of her swimsuit like it’s suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. Then, as if feeling my gaze, she flicks her eyes up to meet mine for the briefest second before quickly looking away.

It’s small.

Barely anything.

But it’s there.

That moment of hesitation. The quiet awareness. The way her fingers fidget just a little before she forces herself to stay still.

Jasper notices, of course. “Ivy, that’s quite an endorsement.”

She recovers fast, flashing him a dry look. “What, that I bring snacks?”

Jasper grins. “Hey, food is important.”

Geoff claps his hands together. “Alright, I think we’ve embarrassed Theo enough—for now.”

“Lucky for you,” Jasper adds.

I shake my head, but even as the conversation shifts, I feel Ivy next to me. So close yet so unattainable. This is not how I had seen my afternoon go.