Rudolph blushed. “No Father, I’ve arranged for us to be in the number one cabin while I have my place remodeled.”
“That sounds wise. Can we meet tomorrow to discuss your plans for the island and other items?”
Rudy nodded knowing he wasn’t off the hook yet with his father for the surprise bride. Maybe he would be wise to include the old man in his confidence to woo his wife. After all his dad loved his first wife so completely, he was still half in love with her after all these years. “I look forward to it, Father.”
Gordon nodded, with that Rudy and Clarice took their leave and headed back up to the helipad to finish flying to Rudolph’s Island.
Once the helicopter landed on Rudolph’s Island, Clarice was taken by how picturesque the island was. There was a developed section that looked like it had come straight out of a fairytale movie. Rudy pointed out the glamping cabin pods that looked like a hobbit’s house in the shire. Then he pointed to some trail that led into the untamed looking wilderness. She could easily understand why his father wanted his son here running things. It looked like a place that Rudy would call home. Just up the path from the helipad was what was obviously a three story office building and welcome center. To the left of it sat a few larger cabins, again with that dome look to them, the tops of which appeared to be clear and open to the sky.
Rudy took her hand and headed straight for the welcome center. “Let me go get the keys to our cabin and meet my new personal assistant. Apparently while I was away mine was given a raise and a replacement was assigned to me by my dad. We can get you keys to the office that I asked the new girl to set up for you so you can touch base with your people in New York while we’re here if you want. Then we can settle into the cabin.”
Just then Clarice’s phone rang. “It’s my mother.”
“Hello Mom.”
“Hello again, dear. I was hoping you and I could have that chat over dinner?”
“Let me check with Rudy. I don’t think we have any plans yet; do you want to come to me or have me come to you?”
“We really need to speak in privacy about my clients here and I want to know more about what is going on with you and your surprising marriage. Why don’t you come to where I’m staying and I’ll order us dinner from one of the restaurants?”
“Let me check, Mom.” Clarice looked over at Rudy who was walking with his arm on the small of her back again. “Mother would like me to visit her and get the lowdown on our marriage and why I’m here. Do you have plans for us tonight?”
“No, why don’t you go have dinner with her and I’ll make arrangements to have dinner with my father. I expect he’ll be happier if I inform him of our story as well. He all but insinuated it while we were there.”
“How would I get to where Mom is staying?”
“I’ll have my P.A. arrange for a water ferry to pick us both up and deliver us.”
Clarice nodded and put the phone back to her ear. “Rudy needs to know where you are staying. He’ll arrange transportation for me.”
“Tell Rudy I’m staying on Vixen Island. I’ll explain everything when you get here. Let me know what time your ferry will get to the docks and I’ll arrange for you to have a ride to meet me.”
“I’ll call as soon as I know, Mom. Will you tell me what’s going on here tonight?”
She heard her mother sigh. “Will you? When we last spoke you were engaged to someone else. Now I find out you’ve been married for almost a year.”
“It’s complicated, but yes, I’ll explain.”
“Then so will I. Love you, little bug.”
“Love you more, mommy bug.”
“Love you most, smarty bug. See you tonight.”
Clarice put the phone back in her purse. “She said to tell you she’s staying on Vixen Island.”
Rudy looked at her. “That’s strange, I would have expected her to be on Cupid Island. That’s where the people looking for love usually are.”
“What’s on Vixen Island?”
“Artists mainly. It’s given to pursuing the arts. Oh and our family home but no one stays there anymore. Mom, when she shows up, but we mostly use it to hold family events at. Dad escaped to the Cookie Cutter because Mom can’t get to him there. She’s learned he won’t come to her at the house anymore so we don’t see her as much as we used to. I looked her up while we were in New York. She has a penthouse downtown that she stays in mostly.”
“I wonder why my mother is there? She likes art but isn’t really artistic. I mean, she put herself through college as a model but since then has worked with people, not art.”
“Yeah, she makes love connections. How did she get into that business?”
“It’s a long sad story. Let’s just say she’s always had a knack for helping love along but after Dad died she needed to make more than she did as a social worker. She realized some people will pay big money for her to help them find the perfect for them mate. She opened her first office and quickly got a reputation for making quiet discreet matches and people looking to find love out of the headlines were willing to pay her very well for helping them. Then after I graduated I suggested we add the online service and started working with specialist to make the best matching software out there. Now we are the best in the business between us.”
They arrived at the business center and Rudy opened the door for her and headed straight to the elevator. The guy at the desk in the center discreetly picked up the phone and Clarice knew that he’d phoned upstairs to let them know the boss was back and headed up.
The elevator doors opened and they were greeted by a lovely blonde in a black dress that was the very definition of little black dress. It was sheer on top with thicker black material that barely covered her ample chest. She was bouncing up and down so vigorously that Clarice was convinced she was going to have a wardrobe malfunction any second. “OH MY GOODNESS! IT REALLY IS YOU!!!”
She was staring at Rudy like he was the best thing since well since the beginning of time. Clarice wanted to tear her silky blonde hair out. Rudy looked at the girl and smiled. “Yes it’s really me and you are?”
“OH! I’m Roxy, your new personal assistant and I’m your biggest fan. I’m so sorry for going all fan girl on you. I told myself I wasn’t going to do that but well, I just couldn’t seem to help myself.”
Clarice rolled her eyes. This pretty little airhead was Rudy’s new PA? What in the world was Gordon thinking hiring her? He probably wasn’t thinking. I bet not many men thought with little miss bubbly breasts bouncing around in front of them.
“Well I hope you got it out of your system. This is my wife, Clarice. Clarice, I guess this is my PA, Roxy.” He looked at Roxy but Clarice noticed his eyes never left the bouncy thing’s face. “Would you be so kind as to show her the office I asked you to set up for her and make sure she gets the Wi-Fi password and anything else she needs to settle in? I’m going to go see Judy real quick to catch up. Expect to start really working tomorrow, Roxy. I’ll need to know what all has happened while I’ve been away. Plus, we’ll need to figure out how to mix my show and company into the running of the Island.”
The girl’s smile got five times brighter and her southern accent was about the most irritating thing Clarice had ever heard. “I can’t wait. This job is going to be so much more interesting now that you’re here.”
“I don’t know about that. Anyway, get my wife set up and I’ll see you tomorrow.” Rudy turned to face Clarice. “I’ll come get you once I’m done with Judy. Then we can get settled into the cabin and make some plans.”
Clarice smiled at him and nodded. “Sounds good, I’ll get Roxy to set me up and I’ll see you soon.”
Rudy nodded and turned and walked down the hallway toward another office. Clarice faced Roxy to see the woman with her eyes glued to Rudy’s retreating form. “Roxy, was it? Can you show me where I’m supposed to work from?”
The woman sighed. “You’re so lucky, Mrs. Holiday. All the girls were surprised when R
udy called me and asked me to get an office ready for his wife. No one knew he was married.”
“Yes, well we are and I’d appreciate it if you would make sure they all know he’s off the market.”
“Oh they know. Anyway I’m just glad to get to work for him. He saved my life you know?”
“He did?”
“Oh yes, I was working in Texas last winter and got stuck on the interstate during an ice storm. I’d ordered his car survival kit and used the tricks he’d shown in his episode on being stranded in your car to survive the three days until the rescue workers got to me.”
Clarice smiled at the bubbly girl. Now her reaction to meeting Rudy made more sense. If he’d saved her life with his products or show, she might go all fangirl the first time they met too. Of course, she’d done one better, hadn’t she? He’d rescued her and she’d married him. Even if she still couldn’t remember doing it.
Chapter Six
Clarice arrived on Vixen Island and was met by a driver in a Land Rover who took her past the hotel and public spaces up a drive clearly marked as Private to a mansion that was fit for a wealthy family like the Hollidays. Even though her temporary husband lived off the grid it was obvious by the cabin they were staying in that his family spent time with people like her mother’s clients. People with lots of money.
She’d voiced to Rudy that she was worried that if they didn’t stay married his dad would force him to try again or follow through on his threat to cut off access to Rudy’s trust fund. He’d laughed and told her even then between the possibility of renewing his show contract for three more seasons and what his equipment and clothing lines made, he was only going from a billionaire to a millionaire. She had no idea how to live with that kind of money. She and her mom had to scrip and save for everything until recently.
The vehicle pulled to a stop and her mother met her at the door. “Mom, what in the world is going on?”
Her mother smiled at her. “I believe I could ask you the same thing, young lady. I leave New York and you’re engaged to one man and you show up here married to another one for almost a year?”
She entered the mansion to an opulent foyer and her mother led her deeper into the house like she belonged there, down a hall and into a kitchen with a breakfast nook where two silver dome covered plates and a bottle of chardonnay awaited them. “Let’s eat and you can explain how you ended up married to a hot Reality TV star. The very one you watch every single week without fail, I might add.” Her mom gave her that look that said she wasn’t going to take anything less than the whole truth for an answer.
They sat and uncovered perfectly grilled salmon drizzled with roasted red pepper cream sauce and served with roasted asparagus and creamy mashed potatoes. As they ate Clarice spilled the whole story to her mother of what had happened in Vegas the year before and how she came to find she was still married to Rudy.
Evelyn looked at her and smiled. “I knew something had happened when you were in Vegas but I didn’t know exactly what. You changed so much when you came home from that weekend. Your obsession with finding the perfect scientifically supported match for yourself was the first clue; the fact that you quit drinking anything you didn’t see poured or opened yourself was another. But I would have never guessed you were married and certainly not to the hot guy you insisted on watching on TV every week.”
“I didn’t know I was still married to him, Mom. I hired a lawyer to get me a quick divorce before I came home. How was I supposed to know the lawyer was a con artist? If Rudy’s dad hadn’t demanded he come home and find a wife I might have committed bigamy without knowing it.”
Her mother laid her fork on the empty plate and brought two small dishes out of the fridge. Two slices of New York style cheesecake, her personal favorite dessert. “Yes about that, do you plan to stay married to Rudy or is the wedding with Winthrop still on?”
“That’s where this gets complicated. I agreed to give Rudy the holidays to convince me to remain his wife to prove that we have a True Love Connection. He scored a 98% match to me, Mom. That shocked me. But Winthrop is expecting me to return to New York in January and marry him. I don’t know what to do. I mean, ninety-eight percent; that’s unheard of and yet I can’t get past the fact that I married him while blackout drunk regardless of the reason.”
“But obviously you have chemistry with this man, dear. I could see it very clearly and so can anyone who sees the two of you together.”
“I know you don’t like Winthrop and I’m sure that is coloring what you think you see, Mom. The truth is I married him. I said yes but I don’t remember saying yes, I don’t remember saying I do and I don’t even remember consummating my marriage. IF this connection is so strong, why can’t I remember it?”
“Then why say yes to giving him the chance to prove you are a match? Why not just go to Vegas and get your divorce?”
Clarice put her head in her hands. “I don’t know. I think one moment that’s what I should do, then I think ninety-eight percent TLC.”
Evelyn came around the table and hugged her. “Well it’s time I tell you why I’m here but you can’t share this with your husband right now.”
Clarice looked at her mom who was blushing. “OH MY, you are here dating their dad, aren’t you?”
“WHAT?? No, of course not, why would you say that? He’s my client here.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Rudy said his dad swore to never marry again after divorcing his mom.”
“Well, Gordon is my client in that he’s the one paying me. But I’m not finding him a match. He’s paying me for nine matches. Well eight if you stay married to Rudy.”
“Mister Holliday brought you here to find matches for his sons?”
“Yes and I have a woman in place for each of them but they don’t know that. Gordon is convinced they would resist if they knew we were matchmaking. He’s telling the boys that I’m investing in the resort and talking about opening a satellite office here, which isn’t a bad idea, on Cupid Island.”
A very irritated feeling ran through Clarice. “Mom, this isn’t how we do business at TLC with secret matches. Do these women know why they are here?”
Her mom blushed again. “They don’t! Mom, this could ruin us!”
Her mom shook her head. “No, it won’t; only the people in this room and Gordon, know who my clients are.”
“Mom, what happens when the sons figure it out? If Dancer and Rudy are any indication they are all smart and successful. There is no way this works.”
“Well I get paid for bringing the women here even if they don’t make the match. But I get a bonus if they are all married, a very big bonus.”
“Wait a minute, did you bring a woman here for Rudy too?”
“Umm well yes, I didn’t know you’d been married to him for almost a year. Besides you aren’t even sure you want to stay with him. Perhaps you could help him see the match I brought him as the way to ease his broken heart when you leave.”
Now Rudy’s new PA made a lot more sense. “Roxy, you’re the one who got Gordon to promote Rudy’s PA and brought in that blonde super fan to replace her. That’s who you think is a good match for Rudy?”
Her mom stood tall. “She is a great match for Rudy. You’re a better one, I’ll admit but I was sure you were determined to marry Winthrop despite the fact I’ve told you he isn’t a good match.”
“Mom, the algorithm disagrees with you; he’s a near perfect match.”
Her mom shook her head. “No ninety-eight is near perfect. Ninety is very good but it isn’t near perfect and I think the algorithm was wrong on Winthrop. There is absolutely no chemistry between you two.”
Clarice looked at her mom and swallowed. “Did you ever think I don’t want chemistry, Mom? Chemistry leaves you broken and alone if…”
“Oh honey! Trust me, it’s completely worth it. I don’t regret a moment of my life with your dad. If I found that kind of connection again I’d marry in a New York minute.”
“Mom, you’ve said a hundred times you’ll never open your heart to that heartbreak again. I’ve heard you and why should I open myself to it? I honestly think if I let him, Rudy could destroy me, just like Daddy did you. It’s safer marrying Winthrop. We’re a good match and I could survive him just fine.”
Clarice saw the sadness on her mother’s face. “But honey, what you’ll miss out on is the love of a lifetime.”
Clarice threw back her shoulders and armed herself for the lie she knew she was about to tell her mom. “I can live with that.”
Her mom shook her head then smiled. “Then you can help me match Rudy to Roxanne. At least one of you should have the chance for a love match.”
Clarice bit her tongue to keep from telling her mom again how wrong she was about Roxy and Rudy. They talked about the different women her mom had brought out and the other business that her mom had missed out on being in Alaska and other places for weeks already. Soon it was time for Clarice to rush to the dock to catch the last water taxi back to Rudolph’s Island and the cold bed in her temporary first home as a wife.
Clarice arrived at the cabin that was home for the next three months to find her temporary husband was already there. “You must be frozen after your trip across the sound. I’ve got just the thing for you.” He handed her a mug with the face of her husband’s famous reindeer persona on the front. “It’s the Holliday Islands Resort’s famous homemade hot chocolate. None of that powder stuff for our guests. Each resort’s coffee shops and restaurant has been given Lorelei’s famous homemade recipe to make. I happen to have a copy of it too. My oldest five brothers won’t let us make anything else.”
She took the mug and sipped the warm concoction made from melted chocolate with just a hint of vanilla and cinnamon mixed with rich cream and just a hint of spice. “I took the liberty of going into your room and turning the heated mattress pad on so your bed would be nice and warm for you.”
Clarice’s brow scrunched up in thought. “Why?”
Rudolph's Runaway Bride (Holliday Islands Resort Book 9) Page 6