My recipie for a good commuter for 2x7 miles is a lightweight aluminium frame with non suspension fork, a hub gear with more than 3 gears, and clearance for medium sized tyres. If you want to ride through a grimy winter, then disk brakes are a plus but not required for Florida.
I just had a quick look around at USA models and the best I can see is
Raleigh Alysa i8. It has a crossbar style frame but women's geometry. It is probably lighter and sportier than those "lifestyle" bikes with excess metal.
I switched over to hub gears from a std derailleur setup and find it clean, efficient, very easy to use and maintain. Wheel removal is a bit more involved but not difficult and you should be using the most highly protected tyres you can fit (eg Schwalbe marathon Plus). I have used 3 speed and 8 speed and prefer the extra gears of 8 even on flatter terrain.
You need to add accessories, possibly rack, fenders, lights, lock, repair kit and get a helmet and gloves for protection.