Free Her Heart's Desire by Lisa Watson

was stuck in a rut. A large part of him enjoyed his regimented life. There was a comfort in the predictability of it. Adjusting to civilian life hadn’t been without its difficulties, but his line of work afforded the same rigid conditioning and procedural aspects that he was used to. Being his own boss enabled him to hire retired veterans and honorably discharged servicemen and women, and it also gave him the means to lend his time, money and support to causes and charities he felt passionate about. There was no better feeling.
    Looking for a meaningful relationship took time, and that was a commodity Ivan had little of. But business was going well, and his company was stable. Other than the occasional fire to put out, for the immediate future, he had nothing but time. Ivan went back to searching for a suitable restaurant. Should he go for something hip and trendy, or more laid-back with ambience?
    Ivan thought about Tiffany for a moment and what little he knew about her. His brow furrowed with concentration as he scanned websites and reviews. One particular place caught his eye. He glanced over the pictures, and then read each evaluation.
    “Perfect.”
    He wanted his first date with Tiffany to be extraordinary. Based on what he had gleaned so far, too many of her dates fell short of the mark. Ivan did not intend to be one of those.
    * * *
    “So, how was your evening with Ivan?”
    If Milán could see her face right now, she would not have to ask. “Why do you think I was with Ivan?”
    “Let’s see, you leave the barbecue minutes after your secret meeting in the kitchen, claiming you have to get into work early today, and he spent the remainder of his time after you left checking his watch—then hightails it out of there a short time later. Real subtle, Tiffy.”
    “First of all, it wasn’t secret...” she began.
    Milán broke into a litany of Spanish so fast, it made Tiffany dizzy.
    “Okay, okay,” she cried out to stop the tirade. “Yes, I was with Ivan last night, and the night before. He asked me out on a date, Lani!”
    After letting out a whoop, Milán congratulated her friend. “So what happened?”
    “A great deal.” She sighed. “He’s taking me out tonight.”
    “I’m so happy for you, but you’re in trouble for not telling me sooner.”
    “I’m sorry, it’s just been so crazy.”
    “I can’t believe you even made it in to work today. Do you have any idea what you’re wearing tonight?”
    “No clue. But I’m excited to figure it out.”
    * * *
    The morning went by in record time for Tiffany, which was a blessing in disguise because she could not stop smiling, and concentration was a pipe dream. It was a good thing she was scheduled to work most of the day by herself, or else she would’ve gotten the third degree from her employees. As it turned out, they were swamped that afternoon. Tiffany barely made it home to shower and dress before Ivan was due to pick her up.
    Should she dress up, or keep it casual? She had no idea the type of venue Ivan had in mind, and she didn’t want to call and ask.
    Finally Tiffany chose a sleeveless, knee-length crochet dress in coral. The vibrant color and matching underdress complemented her complexion. She paired it with a pair of beige platform sandals and small gold hoop earrings. She set her hair on end with styling mousse before spraying it with a light mist of hair spray. Satisfied with the look, she applied her makeup.
    Tiffany was no stranger to first dates, but she knew off the bat that this one would be nerve-racking. What if things didn’t work out? What if they weren’t compatible after all?
    Fifteen minutes later, her doorbell rang. Ivan stood there holding a small bag.
    “What’s that?” Tiffany asked.
    “A little something I saw and thought of you.”
    She sat on the couch to open it while Ivan took a seat on the chair. Tiffany peeked into the bag. “I can’t believe you did this. It’s not even my birthday.”
    Ivan shook his