539: THESE TAUNTS

ARIEL'S POV "Yeah, I think we’re maxing out on creativity for now," Luke said, wiping away a few remaining tears of laughter. "Unless you want to add Buckingham Palace's postcode to the invitation?" "Nah, let’s not get too carried away just yet," I replied, grinning. "We want to keep some surprises in store for the dinner itself. Besides, we don’t want to upstage Mum and Gustavo." Luke and I chuckled at the thought of upstaging Mum and Gustavo at their own dinner. Then, our laughter faded, and we both grew a bit more serious. "Are you sure you're okay with this? With your mom dating again, I mean?" Luke asked, his voice gentle. "I think so," I replied, sighing softly. "I mean, it's weird, right? But if she’s happy, that’s the important thing. Plus, I don’t want her to feel like she’s alone after we move." "You're right," Luke said, reaching for my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's definitely an adjustment, but if it makes her happy, that's what matters. And m