Location: Spring Fling tents area
Status: CLOSED ( @xandertaylor )
By late afternoon, Spring Fling had settled into organized chaos.
Every path was crowded, music floated in overlapping layers across the grounds, and vendor tents had developed their own little ecosystems of energy: some lively, some frantic, some one spilled lemonade away from collapse.
Yvaine had spent most of her shift at Cobblestone Café's tent moving in a practiced rhythm of espresso orders, pastries, and polite conversation.
And for the last forty minutes, she had been periodically looking across the festival grounds. Not obviously. Mostly.
Just enough to notice that Xander has been working nonstop. Which, in her opinion, was unacceptable.
So on her break, she disappeared.
And returned fifteen minutes later carrying a premade picnic from Taste. By the time she reached his booth, she paused a few feet away and watched for a second. Not dramatically, just quietly amused. Then she stepped into view. Without preamble, “I’m rescuing you.”
Yvaine held up the basket slightly. Her expression remained completely composed despite the fact that she had very obviously planned this.
“There are terms and conditions.” She glanced toward the stand. “You have to leave your post for at least twenty minutes. Twenty-five if you’re convincing.”
She stepped closer and lowered her voice conspiratorially, “Cobblestone sent reinforcements.” She opened the basket to reveal two iced coffees from her tent.
Yvaine looked back up at him and smiled in her signature warm and sunny way. The kind that felt a little too fond to pass as casual. “You looked like someone who forgot people are supposed to sit down sometimes.”
She adjusted the strap of her bag and added lightly, “And before you say you’re busy, I already checked.” There was a tiny pause before she continued, “The line looked manageable.”
Her expression softened just a little. “You’ve been here seemingly all day.” Then she nodded toward a quieter patch of grass nearby. “So.” Her blue eyes drifted back to him. “Come have lunch with me.”