Sarah kissed her. “I love you too.”
They were quiet for a moment. Outside, traffic hummed. Inside, the light was turning amber.
“We need to talk about the future,” Lizzie said.
“I know.”
“I thought about how to make it work.” Lizzie traced Sarah’s collarbone. “I think Jasper and my mom are getting back together.”
Sarah’s eyebrows went up. “Really?”
“He’s been in New York a lot the past few weeks. Coming over for dinner, helping my mom with things around the apartment. My brothers love having him around again.” Lizzie smiled. “I had this whole daydream where they’d get married again and my mom would move to Miami with the boys. Then I could drive down to Key West on weekends to see you.” She paused. “If you’re even staying in Key West. If everything goes your way, would you really want to be there?”
Sarah was quiet for a long moment, her hand resting on Lizzie’s hip.
“I’ve always had a dream. To own a small bed and breakfast where I could do things my way. No corporate board, no shareholders, no Derek Mitchell undermining me at every turn. Just a small place where I could take care of people the way I want to.”
Lizzie’s pulse quickened. “Yeah?”
“These past few weeks I’ve been thinking about it more seriously. I have money. Billy left me well provided for, regardless of how the lawsuit turns out. I could buy a property, fix it up, make it mine.” Sarah looked at her. “I’d want to bring Carlos and Esmeralda with me. Chrisla too, if she’d come. People I trust.”
“I love that idea.”
“It might not be in Key West. Could be anywhere.”
“Anywhere works. As long as you’re there.”
Sarah kissed her. Lizzie kissed back, then pulled away just enough to speak. “What would you call it?”
Sarah met her eyes. “The Writers Inn. After a certain writer who stole my heart.”
Tears pricked Lizzie’s eyes. “You’re naming your bed and breakfast after me?”
“If you’ll let me.”
“Yes.” Lizzie kissed her hard. “Yes. I’ll help you find the perfect place. I’ll come down every weekend while I finish school. We’ll make it beautiful.”
“And after you graduate?”
“After I graduate, I’m all yours. Wherever you are, whatever you’re building, I’m in.”
Sarah’s smile was radiant. “We’re really doing this.”
“We’re really doing this.”
They kissed again, slower this time, savoring it. Outside, Miami hummed with evening traffic. Inside, they mapped out their future in whispers and touches and promises.
Lizzie had come to Miami to give Sarah the tools to fight back. She hadn’t expected to leave with a plan for the rest of her life. But here she was, wrapped around the woman she loved, talking about bed and breakfasts and new beginnings.
It wasn’t the ending she’d imagined when she left Key West.
It was better.
Epilogue
Lizzie
Six Months Later
