This Summer Will Be Different
by Carley Fortune
Contents
Chapter 7
Overview
Lucy settles into Felix’s now-redecorated former bedroom, triggering memories and underscoring their unresolved history. On a walk at Thunder Cove, Bridget unexpectedly breaks down over losses and change. The friends confront Lucy’s work burnout without resolving Bridget’s deeper worries, ending with Lucy’s promise of steadfast support.
Summary
Lucy enters Felix’s former bedroom at Summer Wind and is startled to find it completely redecorated—no trace of his old life remains beyond the antique bed. The transformation stirs vivid memories of the night she spent with Felix, heightening her unease about sharing this space.
Bridget appears, noting Lucy’s flush and steering them toward their ritual first-day walk rather than unpacking. Talk of Lucy’s work surfaces: Bridget pushes her to rest and delegate at In Bloom, while Lucy admits fear of overspending and the increased weight she’s carried since her aunt’s death.
They drive to Thunder Cove, confronting the altered shoreline where Teacup Rock once stood. The sight triggers Bridget’s unexpected sobs about things disappearing—even the airport’s cow statue—revealing a deeper anxiety about impermanence and control.
Lucy comforts Bridget, reflecting on her own sense of loss, but Bridget declines to explain further and asks to sit in silence. As the wind eases, Bridget says it feels like things are slipping away. Lucy reassures her, promising she will not slip away again, even as unspoken worries—about Miles, about Felix—linger.
Who Appears
- LucyNarrator; unsettled by Felix’s redecorated room, confronts memories, work burnout fears, and promises unwavering support to Bridget.
- BridgetBest friend and bride-to-be; exhausted, cries at Thunder Cove over change, urges Lucy to rest but withholds her deeper worries.
- FelixBridget’s brother and Lucy’s past fling; absent but present in memory via his old room, intensifying Lucy’s emotions.