Over the Fence by Elke Becker Page A

David said, continuing to look over her shoulder.
    “An ad agency needs to have an upscale presence to land clients.” Eva needed to log on to the company network to download the files but couldn’t while he was looking at her screen. “I don’t want to be rude, but this data is confidential. I’ll need a moment.” She turned to the side before typing in the password.
    “Oh, of course. I’m normally not so nosy.” David sat down on the other side of the couch.
    In a few minutes, she had the folder she needed and copied it onto her Mac. She logged out and closed the computer. “That was it.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “What kind of work do you do?” Eva asked. They hadn’t spoken about his career yet.
    “Still IT. I also write my own programs and apps, which I then sell.” David leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. “I should concentrate more on my apps so that I can build better international contacts. My partner currently takes care of distribution.”
    “So, you’re self-employed?”
    “Unfortunately not. We design the apps, but because I’ve had so much on my plate lately, I haven’t been able to devote myself fully to it.” He sipped his wine. “But that’s going to change soon.”
    Eva hardly knew anything about his business. “I have an app that finds available taxis in London. It’s really useful, especially when it’s raining, but I can’t imagine how to put something like that together.”
    “We brainstorm and throw ideas around, then develop them into useful ideas, which we continually follow up on.” David leaned back again. “But enough about my work. It must be terribly boring for you.”
    It wasn’t, even though she didn’t exactly understand what he did. She reached for her glass of water and took a big gulp.
    “Are you married?” David asked.
    She swallowed and began to cough.
    “Sorry if that’s a touchy subject for you. Are you OK?” David looked at her with concern.
    Eva struggled for air, taking shallow breaths so that she wouldn’t start coughing again. “It’s not a touchy subject,” she explained.
    David continued looking at her.
    “Not married, not divorced, not in a serious relationship, no children,” Eva said. “Some would call it a sad state of affairs, but I’m fine with it. And when I see the horrible relationships some couples have, I’m glad. Many seem to feel more alone in their relationships than I do being single.” OK, maybe she was painting too rosy a picture, especially when she thought about her lonely evenings in London, but at least nobody was sitting next to her, refusing to speak, making her feel isolated. In hindsight, her previous relationships hadn’t been much more than friendships with sex. When she first fell for somebody, she’d get butterflies, but that wonderful tingling sensation never lasted long. She hadn’t experienced true love, and she didn’t believe in it anyway. “Most people my age are already divorced or planning to get a divorce.”
    “That’s true.” David stared past her for a moment, looking at the wall before he turned to her again. “But there are a few who have managed to stay happily married. It’s good to stay focused on that.”
    “Yes,” Eva agreed. “Actually, right now, I need to head out.” The subject had become a bit thorny, especially because she really liked David. She felt so alive in his presence—a feeling she’d seldom experienced so intensely—but he was already spoken for and she needed to remember that. She stood up, then picked up her Mac.
    “A shame.” David stood up, too. “May I be so bold as to invite you over for another meal?”
    “We’ll see. My father is coming home on Monday,” Eva said.
    “That’s the reason you can’t eat dinner with me anymore?”
    Eva laughed when she realized how lame her excuse must have sounded. “You don’t know my father like I do. But who knows . . . Maybe I’ll be able to escape his clutches every once in a