"What do you want to eat?" Alder asked after Lova opened the menu book in front of them.
"I want Nasi Padang." Without thinking, Lova mention one of her favourite traditional food from Indonesia, Nasi Padang.
Alder rolled his eyes. "Lova, please. This is not a small shop. This is a restaurant."
"Well, why did you invite me to a restaurant like this? Just looking at the menu I'm sure I'll order a lot. It won't be full if it's just a little, you know!"
Lova put the menu book back down. A sigh was heard from Alder. Lova will not deny that she is a woman with a large portion of food. Even the jumbo Sate Padang that Evelyn often orders can be finished with ease.
And Alder took her to a restaurant that provides light menus with minimal portions. It was certain that the food would not satisfy Lova's hunger.
"Yes, that's you are. Eating like you starving for many days, but your body is not fat or even taller than before. Where do you run to try the food?"
Lova seemed to hear a scolding from a boyfriend. "Be polite to older woman like me, young man!" Lova murmured, dispelling her crazy thoughts.
"Order everything. Anything you want."
"Don't let your money run out, boss."
"I'm looking money for you. Have a lot of money but no one spends it for what?"
Lova held her breath. Alder looked relaxed after saying a sentence that could make many women feel flattered. Including the little woman in front of him.
Isn't he serious, is he?
"There's seafood. You like lobster, right? Just order it, how much is up to you. Here, there are crayfish too."
Alder showed the seafood menu he offered to Lova who was still unmoved.
"How many do you want?"
OK! if that's what you wish!
"I'm order five portions of lobster. Three servings of crayfish."
"Okay." Alder nodded in agreement and immediately called the waiter there to order.
Lova had opened her mouth for a moment after hearing Alder's casual answer. He knew that lobster was quite expensive seafood in Indonesia. About crayfish, they can cost twice as much as lobster.
Alder was going to spend a lot of money on her today. But look at the calm face that is now drinking water in his glass.
"You know I spent a lot of money on you today, right?"
Precisely. Lova didn't even think that Alder had read her mind correctly.
"So I ask you one thing."
Lova snorted sarcastically. The girl with the ponytail felt it was too soon to think that Alder was doing a good thing just to get her attention. Just watch now, there was a request in return.
Who says everything is free? What's this after? She asked me to be his slave? Isn't it already?
"Don't talk formal in front of me. You should know that here I just need your approval to immediately meet your family to talk about marriage. If everything feels slow, it's because you're stalling for time."
Lova gripped the glass in front of her hard. Alder said in a firm tone that couldn't be denied. Lova felt fireworks now pounding loudly in her heart.
"Twelve years. I know you're still thinking about that. And you should be aware that I don't care about that."
Lova was still silent. Don't know what else to argue about. Alder tilted his head towards the girl who was now sit still.
"My name is Alder, Lova. Alder Reuven. You must have memorized it, right? Always call me by that name. No woman calls her future husband as boss."
Lova's breath caught in her throat again. The surprises just came out with the words Alder said. Makes Lova's head dizzy.
"Why?" without Lova's control, the question came out on its own.
"Because it's you. And I just want you. That's all." That smile filled Lova's vision.
The butterfly filled Lova's stomach again. There was a pleasant suffocation that the girl was now feeling.
If it continues like this, Lova will loudly admit that she has fallen into the circle of feelings that Alder offers.
~.~.~.~
The girl crossed her arms in front of her chest with an annoyed face.
Heavy raindrops filled the earth. And a news from the restaurant said that many trees fell along the road. So their road to return to Jakarta had to be closed for security until tomorrow.
Lova stood in a hotel that seemed to be the place to stay tonight. Alder, with a relaxed face, handed her a card-shaped key.
"But I have to work tomorrow." The complaint came out of Lova's mouth.
"Me too." Alder replied after first closing his cellphone. "But what should we do? The road is blocked."
Lova snorted. "Yes, you are the one who the boss. How about me? Mr. Gustian will definitely look for me because the novel I am working on should have been finished."
A faint smile formed from the corner of Alder's lips. Even stubborn, it seems Lova is quite obedient to his wishes. No more formal address.
"You know that I'm the boss. Why are you still worried about Mr. Gustian if you go with me?"
"Oh, whatever, Al. It's your responsibility if Gustian makes it difficult to find me." Lova waved her hand in front of her face. Stop the debate that will end in her defeat. Alder is not an easy person to argue with.
Lova's body stiffened when she felt her hand gripped by the big palm again.
"You have a lot of words to say, I think."
There was a smile that Lova could see before her hand was pulled to follow.
"My room is next door. If there's anything, you can come straight to me." Alder let go of his grip when they were in front of a room.
Come on? Am I a girl meeting a guy in a hotel room? Tch!
Lova just nodded lazily. Hoping that Alder would soon leave her alone to rest.
"My room is not locked anyway." The whisper made Lova's face wrinkled in disbelief.
Alder chuckled when he saw Lova move her hand in front of her forehead while speaking silently.
"Insane!"