baby belly was just starting to show, and Asher kept absently rubbing it.
They were so adorable.
Logan seemed to have planted himself near the bar. He stood with a glass of whiskey in his hand, talking to Levi and Ginny.
I was going to miss Ginny. She was checking out of her rental house tomorrow and heading back to Denver, where she was based. I’d read a draft of her piece on Tilikum and it was amazing. She’d woven the feud and unanswered questions from the past into a lively description of life in our quirky little mountain town. She’d really done it justice.
Gavin brought me another glass of champagne.
“I should probably slow down,” I said. “I think this is my third glass.”
He tucked my hair behind my ear. “It’s your party. Have as much as you want. I’ll stay sober and make sure you get home okay.”
Logan laughed loudly from across the room.
“You might have to make sure your brother gets home okay.”
“Yeah, I think he’s using whiskey to cope with his proximity to Cara tonight.”
I laughed and took a sip of my champagne.
Gavin took my left hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. We’d chosen my engagement ring together—a silver band with a deep blue sapphire. I’d tried on a few rings with a diamond, but we’d both been drawn to this one. And as soon as I’d tried it on, we’d agreed it was the one.
A little non-traditional, maybe. But it was perfect.
“Have I mentioned how proud I am of you?” Gavin asked and kissed my hand again.
“Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“I think you could have, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as fun.”
“Definitely not as fun.”
I’d decided to take the leap and publish my book independently, rather than going through the process of finding a new agent and shopping the book around to the big publishers. It had been a daunting prospect, but Gavin had helped. We’d learned a lot together. The book had gone live yesterday, and so far, the reception had been amazing.
And doing everything myself was so empowering. I wasn’t at the mercy of a big company. The fate of this book, and all my future books, was in my hands.
“Time for a toast,” Gavin said and winked at me. He stepped forward and raised his glass. “Hey, everyone. Let’s all lift our glasses to our resident literary genius, and my future wife, Skylar Stanley. She’s not only a talented author, she’s a beautiful person inside and out. And she has great taste in husbands, since she picked me. Congratulations, Sky. I’m so proud of you, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us. Cheers!”
A chorus of, “Cheers,” went around the room. I raised my glass in thanks to everyone here and took a sip.
Gavin hooked an arm around my waist and pulled me close for a kiss.
The caterer served more food and the bartender was a hit. Sven, Cara’s massage therapist, showed up to give shoulder, neck, and foot massages. He looked like a huge Viking, with broad shoulders, a thick beard, and a blond man-bun. Cara said his hands were magic, and she wasn’t wrong.
After Sven’s massage and more champagne, I was relaxed and more than a little bit tipsy. Gram and my parents went home, leaving Gavin and Grace as the only sober people at the party. Everyone else made multiple trips to the bar. The noise level rose, but for once I didn’t mind. Gavin and I laughed, and danced, and celebrated, and laughed some more.
It was the best book launch party I’d ever had.
Of course, it was the only book launch party I’d ever had. But that didn’t diminish its importance to me. In fact, that made it even more special.
The night wore on and some of the guys started a poker game. There were mini cheesecakes and fancy chocolates, and more drinks. Cara gave me a cupcake she’d made herself. It was light and fluffy with delicious buttercream frosting on top. Gavin congratulated her on no longer sucking at baking. She laughed like that was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. Of course, by that point, she was pretty drunk.
Eventually, I started to get sleepy. I didn’t even have to ask Gavin if he minded leaving. He knew without me saying a word. He said goodbye to the guys at the poker table and grabbed my coat for me.
I’d lost track of who was still here and who’d