Page 60 of Finding Love in the Clouds

By the time Fernando arrived home that evening, all he wanted to do was soak in his hot tub and give his brain a break. He could smell the rich aroma of authentic Mexican food as soon as he exited the SUV. He wasn’t mentally prepared for dinner with his future in-laws, but that was what he had agreed to, so he took a few cleansing breaths and walked into the house through the garage door.

The sight that greeted him in the kitchen stopped him in his tracks. Two places were set at the kitchen island, a jar candle casting a soft glow in the otherwise darkened room. His favorite jazz band played softly from hidden speakers, and wine was decanting, waiting to be poured. A note in Sophie’s handwriting rested against the bottle.

I know it’s been a long day.

I’m putting Javier to bed and will be down soon.

If you’re starving and can’t wait,

your dinner is warming in the oven.

Love, Sophie

A smile curled his lips for the first time since yesterday when they were enjoying their exploration of Switzerland. He loved this woman.

Fernando poured himself a glass of wine, savoring the first sip as he leaned against the counter, allowing the day’s stress to begin to melt away. He carefully opened the oven, revealing a spread of dishes: homemade tamales wrapped in corn husks, a bubbling dish of chiles rellenos, and a pot of rich, fragrant mole. His stomach rumbled in appreciation.

He had just set the food on the island when Sophie entered the room, looking fresh and serene. She walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Hi,” she said softly. “Welcome home.”

“Thank you,” he replied, pulling her close and kissing her softly. “And, thank you for the quiet dinner. Today has been exhausting, but seeing you and this amazing meal makes everything better.”

She kissed his cheek. “You’re welcome. Let’s eat?”

They sat down at the island and piled their plates with food, each dish more mouth-watering than the last. They took a few moments to eat in comfortable silence, the simple pleasure of the meal grounding them both.

Finally, Sophie broke the silence. “So, what happened today? Any progress? I saw the press conference; that was interesting.”

Fernando sighed, setting down his fork. “Yeah, quite a bit, actually. If you saw the news, then you know that law enforcement is currently ruling it an accident. Enrique shared his team’s analysis of the surveillance footage, and there is clearly a shadow of a person coming and going multiple times over the past week to that area and that area alone. They are working their magic on the images to see if they can get a better view of what he is doing. Enrique is also piecing together footage from surrounding cameras to see if he can determine who the person is, which will help us with the means andmotive. Law enforcement wasn’t apprised of that tidbit. The arson investigator explained that a two-gallon gasoline can was stashed in a plastic garden box alongside a propane tank that had a leak. The gas settled at the bottom of the plastic box, and when it received a spark from an unidentified source, it blew. They said there is no evidence of tampering or the use of an ignition device. It is their opinion based on the evidence that with me away on vacation, the film crew became lax in the use of safety procedures, which resulted in this accident. There was no loss of life, and therefore, the case is closed.”

Sophie listened intently, her hand resting on his arm, offering silent support. “What about all the witness statements saying there was no reason for the gas to be on set? The FK Studio’s stringent policies to ensure the safety of the crew? Our amazing safety rating? These things don’t just happen!”

“I know. I put all of that on the table. They said the witness statements did not provide conclusive evidence one way or another. And with no real leads or strong evidence to prove otherwise, they are ruling it an accident,” Fernando answered, taking another bite.

“So, does this mean that it is definitely not related to my situation? Did you mention Cory’s concerns to your brothers? Maybe Enrique can use his skills to find a connection.”

Fernando cupped her cheeks and pressed a kiss to her lips, claiming them for several heartbeats.

“Take a breath, Soph. It’s going to be alright. I’m sorry I didn’t find the time to call you and update you today. I realize now that I left you here to stew in your anxiety. It was a very busy day.” Kissing her forehead before he released, he intertwined their fingers and took another bite of his food before continuing. “Yes, my brothers have been updated on the concerns. After the local officials left, we brought in Dad McKenzie and added Cory, Elsie, and Arabella to the videoconference. We all brainstormed potential angles, all of which are being investigated by BraveHeart. Enrique is going to get his hands on the evidence that was collected and run it through his fancy computer to see if he can find any similar hits that would help us locate a potential arsonist or bomber. Before the McKenzies joined us, Enrique shared that though their investigation into your situation is nowhere near complete, there is absolutely no evidence at this time that this has anything to do with that. So far, all is completely silent on that front. He said from where he’s sitting, we can take a breath because that trail is ice cold right now.”

Sophie let out a deep sigh. “Oh, that makes me feel so much better. It’s crazy that these two things happened so close together. So, where do you go from here? Do you just wait for Callie to heal up and get back to work? How are the cast and crew doing? I bet they are a little shaken up from all of this.”

“I called a meeting and explained what law enforcement’s conclusion was and there were some strong feelings about the rushed investigation. Many of them stand firm that the fuel was planted. I assured them that no one was going back to work on the set until a more thorough investigation was done by an independent source and that seemed to calm everyone down. They were also legitimately concerned about lost wages during the delay so we compromised and filming will continue on other portions of the show after FK Studios resumes shooting as a whole. Right now we are shut down pending an OSHA and insurance investigation.”

“What? All the film crews are coming to a screeching halt?” Sophie asked agast.

“Yep. See, what the local law doesn’t understand or care about is that when this type of thing is ruled an accident and therefore preventable, it makes the studio look really bad. We have to find out whodid this before our reputation is flushed down the tube, our ratings drop, and FK Media goes bankrupt. Do you think your parents will still give us their blessing to marry if they know I’m about to be a pauper?”

“Absolutely! However, after they sleep on your Egyptian cotton sheets for one night, they may decide they like you better with money. I’m kidding, for richer or poorer. We will get through this, no matter what happens, together. It’s been a long day. Go change and meet me in the hot tub. A nice long soak will do you some good.”

“If I had known just how well you knew me all those years ago, I would have married you right away. You are an awesome personal assistant, but I can see now that you are going to be an even more amazing wife. How does a summer wedding sound?” Fernando teased, pulling her in for another kiss.

Swatting his chest playfully, she pushed him away. “I’ll marry you as soon as your brothers find out that I’m free to do so. Now go change before I change my mind and make you soak by yourself.”

Chapter Sixty-One

Fernando walked into his office to find his older brothers talking on his couch.

“You’re late,” Anthony noted as Fernando made his way to his desk, placing his satchel down and hanging his suit coat on the valet stand behind his desk.

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