We'll Always Have Summer

Later that night, Steven enters Belly’s room. He says that if she and Jeremiah love each other that much, they can wait a few years to get married. Belly tells Steven that Jeremiah wants him and Conrad to both be best men in the wedding, which excites Steven. Steven says he was supposed to convince Belly not to go through with the wedding but then begins talking about how he and Conrad need to begin planning the bachelor party.

Belly decides to begin planning her wedding without Laurel’s help or blessing. She enlists the help of Taylor, who brings over a stack of bridal magazines. Taylor determines that the first thing they need to find is a dress for Belly. Belly says that she wants to wear a simple dress, as she and Jeremiah plan to get married on the beach. Taylor says that as unbelievable as it is that Belly is getting married so young, it makes sense because she and Jeremiah have known each other for “a grillion” (123) years.

The next morning as Belly leaves to meet Taylor at the mall, she stops by Laurel’s room to tell her where she is going. Laurel only says, “Good luck” (124), which hurts Belly, who feels that girls should go wedding dress shopping with their mothers. Belly tries on dresses at a store alongside girls getting ready for prom. At lunch, Belly worries that they will not be able to find a dress, but she finds the one at the last store. Belly describes the dress as something “I could picture myself getting married in” (128), and Taylor approves of her choice.

Belly calls Jeremiah that night, wearing her wedding dress. Jeremiah asks why she sounds so sad, and Belly admits that she wishes her mother had been there. Jeremiah tells her that Laurel will come around by the time the wedding arrives.

The next morning, Belly and Laurel eat breakfast in silence when the doorbell rings. Belly answers it and sees Jeremiah standing there with a bouquet of flowers for Laurel. Laurel is surprised but says she is glad he is there because she wants to speak to them both.

Laurel shares her concerns about their impending wedding. She says that if Susannah were alive, she would agree. Belly asks if Laurel still plans not to attend the wedding, and Laurel says that she does not plan to attend because “watching you make such a stupid decision is killing me” (134). Belly, angry, tells her mother she will leave then and goes to her room to pack. She tells Jeremiah that she will stay at the Cousins Beach house until the wedding so she can continue planning and not have to deal with Laurel. Belly packs and then goes downstairs, walking past Laurel without telling her where she is going.

On the ride to Cousins, Jeremiah calls Belly and tells her that Conrad has been staying at the beach house and plans to stay there for the rest of the summer. Belly hangs up, feeling uneasy, but the moment she pulls in, she feels comforted, “like I was right where I belonged. Like I could breathe again” (138). Conrad pulls in soon after, carrying groceries, and asks what Belly and Jeremiah are doing there. At dinner, Jeremiah tells Conrad that Belly plans to stay at the house until the wedding, and while Conrad looks surprised, he says he does not care if Belly stays there.

Jeremiah and Belly go out for ice cream, and Belly reminds Jeremiah that they want to keep the wedding small; therefore, not every member of his fraternity can attend. Belly asks about food, and Jeremiah jokes that Conrad could grill everyone chicken with his new cooking skills. Belly asks if Jeremiah has asked Conrad to be his best man yet, and Jeremiah admits he has not.

When Belly and Jeremiah return home, they find Conrad watching television. As they sit down, Conrad immediately gets up, saying he is going to bed with the excuse that he wants to get up early to surf, and he asks Jeremiah to join him. Jeremiah agrees, telling Conrad to wake him in the morning with a knock on the door, but Conrad says he does not want to wake up Belly, implying that Belly and Jeremiah will be sharing a room. To diffuse the tension, Belly suggests that she sleep in her own room, which she secretly wants to do anyway. Jeremiah is initially unconvinced, but Belly persuades him, saying they have the rest of their lives to sleep next to each other. Belly sleeps better than she has in weeks. 

In a chapter from Conrad’s perspective, he thinks about how he asked Jeremiah to surf so that he could get him alone and ask him what is going on regarding the wedding. As they sit on their surfboards in the water, Conrad finds he now does not know what to say to his brother. He finally asks how angry Laurel is, and Jeremiah tells him about her and Belly’s argument. Conrad asks what their father has to say about the wedding, and Jeremiah bristles. Conrad hesitates and then suggests that if Laurel and Adam are against the wedding, perhaps Jeremiah and Belly should wait. Jeremiah tells him to stay out of it, stating that the wedding is between him and Belly. Jeremiah surfs back to shore, and when he is out of view, Conrad smacks the water, thinking, “He was marrying my girl, and I couldn’t do anything about it” (146) because he had promised his mother before her death that he would take care of Jeremiah.

When Belly wakes up, the boys are still surfing, so she gathers her wedding planning materials and sits outside to finalize the guest list. She goes through her short list, unsure whether to send her mother an invitation. Their guest list is under 20 people, so Belly decides they should do a clam bake with a few kegs of beer and cheap champagne.

As Belly writes down her ideas for decorations, Jeremiah arrives. He pulls Belly up and tells her he cannot wait to marry her. Kissing and tickling her neck until she says it back. That afternoon, Jeremiah prepares to leave, and Belly goes to his car to say goodbye. They hug, and Belly feels sad that he is leaving already, waiting until Jeremiah’s car is out of sight before returning inside.