“In here!”
She knew that voice and immediately, her lips curled into a smile. She dropped her backpack and practically ran down the hall.
“Jasper!”
He was at the stove, stirring something that smelled like garlic and tomatoes. He looked the same as the last time she’d seen him six months ago: tall, lean, gray hair, jeans and a button-down like he’d just walked out of a J. Crew catalog.
Jasper had popped up in her life when she’d been nine and her younger brothers three and one and a half. Her dad had been dead a year and her mother was a mess. Jasper had moved in next door and struck up a friendship with the kids—and their mom. That friendship eventually turned into love and by the time Lizzie was ten Jasper was officially her stepfather.
It had lasted for a glorious six years. Then, their marriage had fallen apart for reasons she still didn’t quite get. Still, he’d stayed in their lives in every way he could, helping out when possible. Until he’d moved to Florida three years ago. Since then, they saw him twice a year when he came up for Christmas and a longer visit in the summer.
He called every week, texted, and sent her endless reels of adorable pandas getting into trouble. He sent gifts her brothers, for her, even for her mom. They got along. A blessing really.
“Hey kiddo.” He hugged her back, tight. “Surprise.”
“What are you doing here? Did something happen?”
“Can’t a guy visit his favorite stepdaughter?”
“I’m your only stepdaughter.”
“Exactly. Makes you the favorite by default. And overall.” He went back to stirring. “Your mom’s working late so I thought I’d make dinner. You still eat pasta, right? Or are you one of those anti-carb people now?”
“I will never be anti-carb.” Lizzie sat at the tiny kitchen table. “Seriously though. What’s going on?”
Jasper turned off the burner and sat across from her. “Your mom called me a couple weeks ago. Said you’ve been down.”
“I’m fine.”
“She said you’ve been sad about spring break.”
Lizzie looked away. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It is a big deal.” He leaned forward. “You work your ass off, Lizzie. School, the bakery. You deserve some fun.”
“You sound like Maya.”
He grinned. “Miss Rodriguez has always been good for you. Says what she thinks. Anyway, I had a business meeting in Jersey and thought I’d give you the good news myself.”
“Good news?” She pulled a long noodle out of the pot and lowered it into her mouth.
“Yup, you see, your mom thought maybe you could come to Miami for a week. Visit, hang out, see the ocean.”
“I can’t afford—”
“What if you didn’t need to afford anything? What if someone handed you a job in Florida?”
Lizzie frowned. “A job in Miami?”
Jasper ran a company that supplied toiletries and assorted products to hotels around the south. Was he going to have her work in his warehouse?
“Not quite. I didn’t think you’d want to stay in my bachelor pad and sleep on my futon. Plus, Miami is…meh. However, I know someone. He’s on the board of directors at the Carlson Seaside Resort in Key West. Not exactly a friend but I helped him out a few times over the years and he owes me. Peter Lassiter.” He showed her his phone. Email, official letterhead, her name right there in the subject line. “Six-week internship. Guest services, events, front desk. Starts in two weeks.”
The room tilted.
“Six weeks, in Key West?”
“The room’s included and there’s a stipend to cover expenses.”
