For You I Will. Donna Hill

you been taking pictures?”

      “Years. It was always a hobby of mine, but with patients, working at the hospital for an inhumane number of hours a week, there wasn’t much time to indulge in my little hobby.” She drew in a breath and smiled. “When I moved here and my life slowed down...” She shrugged again.

      “Well, you definitely have skills, doc.”

      “Thanks.”

      They stood facing each other in an odd moment of silence.

      “Guess we better get going,” Andrew finally said, snapping them both back to the moment.

      “I’m looking forward to meeting Mr. Coben.”

      “You have quite a few of his novels on your shelf.”

      “Ya think?” she teased as they walked to the door and out.

      * * *

      Andrew held the door for her and she slid onto the smooth leather of the Mercedes-Benz CLK. The interior still smelled showroom-fresh and she briefly wondered how long he’d had it.

      “I made reservations at Drummonds, the new place on Main. Have you been there yet?”

      “No, I haven’t.” She settled herself in the car and fastened her seat belt.

      “Good, it’ll be a first for both of us. A colleague from the hospital said the food was great and they usually have live music.”

      “Really? Sounds great.”

      “I can’t remember the last time I’ve been out for dinner where I could simply relax and enjoy myself. Dinners always seem to invariably revolve around business, patients, and hospital administration.” He cut a quick look in her direction as he pulled onto the narrow two-lane road. “So I hope you won’t mind if we don’t utter a word about anything that has to do with patients and health care.”

      Kai laughed lightly. “Fine by me.”

      They drove for a few moments in silence. “I’m really glad you decided to go out with me,” Andrew said, his normally assured voice laced with a hint of uncertainty.

      Kai stole a look in his direction. His profile was set against the backdrop of the darkening sky. “Thanks for asking...again.”

      They both laughed at the obvious implication. Andrew had lost count of how many times he’d asked Kai out and she’d always found a reason to gently say no.

      “Had I only known that all it would take to lure you out was a Harlan Coben book signing, I would have found a way to get him here long before now.”

      Kai laughed. The dimple in her right cheek deepened. “Was I really that bad?”

      “Yes. Good thing I have a healthy ego or I would be permanently scarred.”

      “I doubt that very seriously.” She relaxed in her seat, glanced briefly at the crest of the horizon beyond her passenger window then turned slightly toward Andrew.

      “Do you even like mysteries?”

      He gave a slight shrug. “I’m more of a Stephen King kind of guy.”

      She gave a fake shudder and a little frown. “Horror! Really? I would have never thought that in a million years.”

      “Why?” He stole a quick look at her and was delighted to see the amusement in her eyes.

      “Hmm, I’m not sure. I guess I figured you for a history or a biography buff.”

      “Real straight, no rough edges.”

      “Not exactly but...”

      “I get it. I totally get it. That’s why it’s more important than ever that you get to know the real me. I’m much more than a pretty face and brilliant mind, you know.”

      Kai tossed her head back and laughed. “That’s to be determined.”

      Drummonds was everything that Drew had said and more. The circular tables were draped in brilliant white linen, with sparkling crystal glasses and gleaming silver. One entire wall was smoked glass from end to end and looked out onto the pier, giving view to the gently flapping sails of the docked boats undulating on the water. The circular bar was a mixture of chrome, dark red wood and marble. Every stool was taken.

      “Welcome to Drummonds. Do you have a reservation?” the slim hostess donned in all black asked.

      “Yes, two for Clarke,” Andrew said.

      The hostess checked her reservation list, looked up and smiled. She took two menus from the rack. “Right this way. Your table is ready.”

      Andrew placed his hand at the small of Kai’s back and guided her behind the hostess who wound her way around the tables, dance floor and up one level to their table in front of the window. She placed the menus on the table. Andrew helped Kai into her seat then took his.

      “Can I get you anything from the bar before your waiter arrives?”

      Andrew looked to Kai with a questioning rise of his brow.

      Kai glanced up at the waitress. “A glass of white wine.”

      “Anything for you, sir?”

      “Why don’t you bring us a bottle of sauvignon blanc?” He gave Kai a quick look of inquiry.

      She offered her assent with a shadow of a smile. “Please.”

      The hostess tipped her head. “Right away.”

      Andrew turned his full attention back to Kai.

      “I had no idea Drummonds was anything like this,” Kai said.

      “Very Upper East Side Manhattan,” he joked.

      She laughed. “Exactly. I mean the restaurants here are very nice but mostly quaint and cozy.” She gazed around in appreciation.

      The waiter arrived with their bottle of wine and filled each of their glasses then took their dinner order before leaving as quietly as he’d arrived.

      Andrew lifted his glass. “To a wonderful evening.”

      Kai lightly tapped her glass to his.

      “So tell me some more about your photography.” He took a sip of his wine then set his glass down.

      Kai wrapped her long, slender fingers around the stem of her glass and gazed into the crystal depths of its contents. “I suppose I always had a thing for seeing things in parts.”

      “In parts?”

      “Yes. This may sound a little quirky but...” She pushed out a breath. “To me, I see things in pieces, not as a whole. It’s like looking at what’s in front of me in...frames. I compartmentalize.” She looked at him from beneath her long lashes.

      A line of concentration etched itself between his brows. “All the time?”

      “Pretty much.”

      He thoughtfully sipped his wine. “So you’re not the ‘big picture’ kind of a girl.”

      Kai grinned. “Nope. Guess not.” She sipped her wine. “What about you when you aren’t doctoring?”

      Kai listened while Andrew talked about his love of the outdoors, the yearly camping trips with his college buddies and the marathon that he ran every year. She listened, nodded and “mmm-hmmed” in all the right places and wondered if she could ever put Andrew into one her compartments and label it “her man,” “significant other,” or “husband.” For whatever reason, she simply could not see him fitting into any of those spaces in her life. Maybe she had been out of the relationship game for so long that she no longer knew how to play.

      When Kai and Andrew arrived at the Grenning Gallery there was a line waiting to get in.

      “Looks like it’s going to be pretty