Then he would have the length and breadth of that collection of seconds in order to locate her in the mass of guests. Buffy had abandoned her post by the tall, tall tree and was instead picking at the edge of his hat on the complete opposite side of the room. Not...not quite close enough to a sprig of hung mistletoe to be considered under it but close enough to suggest that she knew it was nearby.

It looked entirely likely that she had found this spot the moment he had left and had been standing in it ever since.