The Summer I Turned Pretty, #3
We'll Always Have Summer
by Jenny Han
Contents
Chapter Forty-Four
Overview
Belly, Taylor, and Anika bond over wedding prep, gifts, and frank talk about sex, exposing Belly’s discomfort with Jeremiah’s experience. Belly confides her temptation to kiss Conrad, and Taylor reveals Conrad convinced Laurel to attend the bridal shower. Belly insists she still wants to marry Jeremiah but privately holds onto her glass unicorn, signaling unresolved feelings.
Summary
After the boys leave, Belly, Taylor, and Anika retreat to Belly’s room to test makeup and nails for the wedding. Belly refuses professional makeup and false eyelashes, preferring to avoid more Fisher money and to look like herself. They switch to pajamas, give Belly a lacy wedding-night gift, and joke uneasily about sex.
The conversation turns candid as Taylor warns sex might hurt, while Anika reassures Belly it can be enjoyable, especially with an experienced partner. Belly forces a smile but privately fixates on Jeremiah’s past with Mara and Lacie, feeling unsettled by his experience.
Later, in the dark as Anika sleeps, Belly confides to Taylor that helping Conrad after his surfing injury sparked a fleeting urge to kiss him. Taylor asks if anything happened; Belly says no but admits being shaken by the desire with the wedding days away.
Taylor reframes Conrad as Belly’s first great love and then reveals Conrad recently visited Laurel to persuade her to attend the bridal shower. Belly is stunned to learn Conrad intervened for her. Taylor cautions that Belly can still delay the wedding, but Belly insists she doesn’t need more time and wants to marry Jeremiah.
After Taylor drifts to sleep, Belly lies awake, thinking about Conrad still looking out for her. Quietly, she rises and finds her glass unicorn, holding onto the keepsake as she sits with her conflicted feelings before the wedding.
Who Appears
- Belly (Isabel Conklin)Bride-to-be; resists heavy makeup, uneasy about Jeremiah’s past, tempted by Conrad, reaffirms marriage, retrieves glass unicorn.
- Taylor JewelBest friend; pushes beauty choices, shares blunt sex advice, reveals Conrad swayed Laurel, urges Belly to reconsider timing.
- AnikaFriend; joins beauty prep, reassures Belly about sex, provides levity, falls asleep first during late-night talk.
- Conrad FisherOff-page; Belly feels tempted by him; recently persuaded Laurel to attend the bridal shower, still looking out for Belly.
- Jeremiah FisherFiancé; absent but central; his sexual experience unsettles Belly as she prepares for their imminent wedding.
- Laurel ConklinOff-page; was convinced by Conrad to attend the bridal shower, affecting family dynamics around the wedding.