The penultimate episode of season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Last Kiss, has arrived and blown every character’s true feelings, longings, and fears to the surface. After Conrad’s long-awaited love confession, all is not well on Cousins Beach. A nonstop, emotional rollercoaster of an episode, Last Kiss captures the day before and day of Jeremiah and Belly’s wedding. But, how can you make it to the altar if another man haunts your every waking hour?
I Think It’s You Who’s Heartless
Belly wakes up, on what is bound to be the most emotionally exhausting of her young life, in her dress from last night, her makeup smudged around her eyes, and an empty look in her eyes as she listens to Jeremiah’s apology voice note. Putting on a content voice, she responds that she loves him and can’t wait for the rehearsal, and then returns to the craziest crash out of her life. Han tells us quickly she won’t be letting up on the honesty anytime soon when Belly and Conrad run into each other in the kitchen.
The house is empty, spare them. The tension between them after Conrad’s late-night confession is overpowering. So Conrad tries to ease it. He asks if they can just forget about last night, when he was drunk out of his mind, and crossed a line. Belly is thinking what we all are: God, Conrad, don’t pull a season one and two and take it all back after you finally got it off your chest. But don’t forget, this man’s been going to therapy.
Man, I really do love a Belly and Conrad fight scene; Belly gets to finally shed this perfect, amenable girl role she plays so well and can feel everything: anger, excitement, sadness, entitlement, confusion, love. She pushes him and tells him to make up one of his bullshit excuses (clocked him) and leave; she doesn’t care where, and to never speak to her again. That she’s marrying his brother, and what’s she supposed to do now? Let him stand up there and be his brother’s best man after betraying him? He laughs and says he’s not going anywhere, that they’ll probably have to talk, considering she’s about to be his sister in-law. She can’t bear the sound of her name in his mouth; it’s driving her crazy, so he cracks:
Belly replies, “You really are heartless” (GIRL, WHAT?). And Conrad, finally standing up for himself, tells her she may be the heartless one. Belly is infuriated, demanding he tell her what he means by that. He’s done playing with her: “You know what I mean by that. I love you. I’ll never not love you.” Fans of the book are obsessed with this like change; instead of “I’ve always loved you,” he tells her he’ll never not love her. A promise for the future, what Belly’s always needed from him. Her playing dumb is so upsetting, pretending that they just dated briefly when she was in high school. How was she to know he still cared about that?
Bold and assured Conrad is everything; he says okay, but Christmas wasn’t four years ago. It hits her like a ton of bricks as she pretends she doesn’t know what he means. What about that day at Michael’s, Belly? What about when he cut his leg surfing? The confrontation visibly shakes her. “Okay,” he says gently, “I’m not pretending for you anymore.” Finally, he gets to say we know this isn’t just me. The weight of the world is off him; he knows she loves him, she doesn’t need to say it. He drives off and comes back shortly after with her favorite muffins. My guy. Meanwhile, Belly runs to her room and drags out Junior Mint, the stuffed animal he won her when they were younger. Under his scarf is the infinity necklace Conrad gave her all those years ago, delicately placed. She can’t deny it anymore: he loves her, but she can’t stake her life on it.
As Conrad is walking into the house, Taylor returns on a run and tells him to sit down. She starts tearing into him about how Belly isn’t just a toy he can pick up and play with whenever he wants (think she’s talking to the wrong brother). What was he expecting?, she demands, for her to blow up her whole life and run off into the sunset with him because he suddenly remembers he exists? What’s so interesting about Conrad and Taylor’s dynamic is that they’re essentially reflections of one another.
Just like with Steven, Conrad ruined things with Belly because he couldn’t open up. Couldn’t tell her how much she meant to him, couldn’t tell her how insecure he was about their relationship. Their similarities are so clear during this moment. They both know they have a hold over their respective loves, but Taylor’s finally trying to let Steven find peace without her, and she wants Conrad to do the same. You can tell by her face that she doesn’t know if it’s the right advice, though. Belly loves him. She knows she does, and I think she can see in his eyes and hear in his voice that he really loves her the same.
I Am Painfully Aware Of Him
Belly is spinning out all day. At the spa, Taylor tells Belly about her and Conrad’s conversation, telling her he wants to whisk her off into the sunset. Belly panics about his loose mouth, worrying he may tell Jere before her. Taylor watches her closely as she tells Belly she told Conrad to get lost, “Did I do the right thing?” Taylor asks. Belly insists she did, but a little too frantically to be believable.
At the rehearsal, Belly is shocked when Conrad shows up (looking mighty fine, I may add): “Is he insane? What is he even doing here?” Conrad stares her down defiantly. Self-assured, caution to the wind, Conrad is really the star character development of this episode, probably the season. As the wedding rehearsal begins, Conrad takes his place next to Jere, and they both steadily watch Belly as she walks down the aisle: aw, the whole family’s in love. The shot of Belly walking down the aisle is the same as in the trailer, giving all eagle-eyed fans a heart attack. I’ll assume a good one; if there are still Jeremiah and Belly shippers out there, find peace, find help.
Belly finally gets something she actually wanted! Lobster rolls! But don’t worry, it’s just for the rehearsal dinner, god forbid she has the meal she wants on her wedding day. After a cozy, tense family feast where Belly has valiantly avoided staring at Conrad, she finally gives in:
“All night, I haven’t looked in his direction, but I always know where he is. I am painfully aware of him and the fact that at any moment he could blow this whole thing up.”
– Belly in Last Kiss, episode eight of The Summer I Turned Pretty season three
Listen, I have sympathy for Belly. It’s the boy she’s always loved versus her best friend she’s dated for four years and got her through the most painful moment of her young life. And she finds out two days before her wedding that her first love never stopped wanting her. Tough one. But at some point, you’ve got to ask: when is this just officially morally wrong? The girl is panting at her rehearsal dinner, staring at the groom’s brother, and robotically morphs into a doe-eyed smile at her fiancé when he’s about to catch her looking.
I am a certified Jeremiah hater (we all know this), but in this episode, I was just feeling bad for this poor kid. He’s being made a fool, and the fact that Belly can’t just buff up and accept her feelings, willing to have Jeremiah marry someone who loves someone else, is borderline evil. And we can’t say it’s just the shock of Conrad’s confessional, as Connie said: what about Christmas? Michael’s day? When he cut his leg surfing? She knows. Jeremiah and Belly stand up to give a joint speech to their loved ones, telling each of them what they’ve learned from them and how they’ll carry it in their relationship forever. When Jere gets to Conrad
And Conrad, like most brothers, sometimes we’re best friends, and other times… well… [laughs from the crowd]. But, man, um, you’re loyal as hell, and I really respect that. Brothers till the end.”
– Jeremiah in Last Kiss, episode eight of The Summer I Turned Pretty season three
The pessimist in me wants to say Jere is attempting to create one last barrier between Conrad and Belly: guilting him with his own loyalty. The human in me feels so incredibly embarrassed for this 22-year-old, publicly declaring his brother’s loyalty, not knowing that Conrad confessed his love for Belly only last night. The sap in me absolutely broke down with the unexpected fleeting flash of Jere and Conrad on the dock the previous season, consoling each other after Susannah’s passing. It’s times like these when you just have to go: wow, Belly is threatening to destroy an entire grieving family’s already tentative bond. Damn.
Motherly Love; Friendly Love
Adam comes over to compliment their speech and accidentally lets slip that Jere has accepted his offer at his company, starting in one month. Belly, trying to stifle her own anger with her guilt, gently asks Jere what’s going on. As Jere explains, blissfully unaware of the implications of his job proposal (“I thought you’d be proud of me”, Belly heats up. The whole point of her skipping Paris was to be with Jere during his final semester; now Jere is the one leaving (granted, he said he’d be commuting from their apartment in Rhode Island). She’s about to get pissed, but looks over quickly at Conrad. Is that a smirk I see, Conrad Fisher? Laughing at their incompatibility? Hot. Belly sees him and smiles the problem away, unable to let Conrad detect a crack.
Back at the Cousins’ house, Laurel joins Conrad by the pool with beers before heading back to the hotel. He tries to hide his feelings, but Laurel pushes him to let her in. He admits it’s killing him, and Laurel tells him she’s sorry, “I know you love her a lot.” Beautiful, the first confirmation we get that Conrad’s love is visible to those around him, even if Belly wants to pretend it isn’t real. She places a hand tenderly, motherly, on his cheek, and he sinks into it.
It’s probably the first time in four years he’s felt a mother’s touch, and the pain palpitates from the screen. It’s a beautiful moment, let down by Jackie Chung’s acting. I’m so sorry to say that because I actually love Laurel’s character; she is such a three-dimensional, real woman. But the emotional depth of the scene is a bit out of Chung’s range; she can deliver anger and humor, but softness, not so much. Thankfully, Chris Briney is on an absolute roll this season. He’s delivering his scenes unlike we’ve ever seen in previous seasons.
Now: for possibly the most satisfying scene this season to date (besides the beach confession — I’m not insane), Steven and Denise sit outside with their ice cream, flirting, spoon feeding each other, before looking deeply into each other’s eyes and sharing a kiss. At first, I’m rolling my eyes and cursing Jenny Han for a second love triangle. They pull away quizzically, and Denise breaks the ice: “Anything?” Steven, looking confused, says, “No. You?”, “No. Nothing. Like kissing a plant […] no, like, like….a really nice, tall [laughs] plant.”
THIS RIGHT HERE. This is more satisfying than if they had never had feelings for each other in the first place. Denise goes right into setting terms for their partnership, Steven immediately agrees, telling her he trusts her, as Denise asks for another bite: “You’re not gonna spoon feed it? Mama bird?” I think this is such a good moment because I’ve been actively resisting rooting against Denise, even though I want Taylor and Steven together. Why hate her? She’s smart, funny, interesting, confident, successful, and kind (not to mention off-the-charts stunning). They’re able to seamlessly move on from the intimacy, laughing and joking as if nothing’s changed. We get to see the start of a different bond, not romantic, but true friendship. One of the best late-addition characters I’ve seen in a minute, and this scene was a welcome respite from all the drama. Bravo.
Playin’ The Victim So Well In My Head
Unfortunately, Belly doesn’t get off as easily. Unable to sleep, she grabs a bathing suit (red, as fans analyzing the color scheme this season are sure to be giddy about) and heads to the pool to clear her mind while making the bed by Olivia Rodrigo playing in the background. Could there be a more perfect song to capture the mess she made?
I thought it, so I said it, took it ’cause I can/ Another day pretendin’ I’m older than I am/ Another perfect moment that doesn’t feel like mine/ Another thing I forced to be a sign […] I’m so tired of bein’ the girl that I am/ Every good thing has turned into something I dread /And I’m playin’ the victim so well in my head / But it’s me who’s been making the bed.
– Olivia Rodrigo, making the bed
In this episode, we finally get to see Belly put in a position to question her own decisions. Conrad tells her he won’t pretend for her anymore (that her feelings aren’t there), her own conscience is running rampant the day before her wedding, and she has to accept how her behavior will impact Jere. Things don’t just happen to Belly; she plays a part, even if she never intended for anyone to get caught in the crossfire. She’s so lost, but her journey is actively hurting those around her. Her late night of soul searching brings her to Jeremiah’s room.
Belly tells Jere that Conrad confessed his love to her. He immediately goes to kick his ass, but Belly stops him. Jere takes this as her defending Conrad, only telling him to absolve her conscience so she can run off with him in peace (maybe deep down, buddy, but she’s not able to see that yet). I gasped at his biggest mistake: “I see the way he looks at you. I know he’s been in love with you this whole summer, even longer.” Oh, my friend, you’re saying the exact right thing to quiet her fears that Conrad is only admitting this to stop the wedding (“No, not just now, Belly. […] It’s always. Don’t you get that?”). Belly sidesteps and ensures Jere that she only wants him. They go to bed together. If it were me, I don’t think this is how I’d want the night before my wedding to play out.
Did You Really Think She Was Going To Change Her Mind?
It’s the morning of the wedding, and Belly wakes up alone. Jere has disappeared. Belly is frantically calling him; no answer. Steven comes in telling Belly that Laurel is freaking out; she was supposed to be at the club over an hour ago. She tells him Jere’s missing, surprised but rationalizing, he tells her he probably went out surfing. She confides in him that Conrad told her he loves her, she told Jere, and now he’s gone. Steven is pissed. An excellent big brother this episode, he comforts her, holds her, and tells her he’ll find him, everything will be okay, and they’ll live happily ever after, just as they planned.
Steven immediately goes to Conrad, who is staring out the window like his life is about to end. Conrad says he hasn’t seen him, to which Steven harshly replies: “Not that I’d wanna see you if I were him anyway. I can’t even f**king look at you, man.” He starts laying into him:
“What is wrong with you? Really? What is wrong with you? We can all clearly see that you’re still hung up on Belly, okay? With all your brooding and your sad-boy-whatever-the-f**k. But did you really have to go and confess your undying love the weekend of her wedding to your little brother? Did you really think you were going to change her mind? […] You’re gonna hear it because Belly is my little sister and Jere is my best friend. I’ve barely seen you in years.”
– Steven in Last Kiss, episode eight of The Summer I Turned Pretty season three
You can’t blame Steven for the brutal honesty (though it stung his best friend and him, knowing Conrad had feelings and not reaching out a bit), he’s looking out for his sister, who’s undergoing emotional warfare. But you can blame Conrad for suddenly losing his newfound voice: for the love of all that is good, Conrad, just tell him you only came clean about your feelings because you found out he cheated on Belly. I think Steven would be jumping ship pretty fast. It’s moments like this that the writing is confusing. What person would gatekeep that piece of information in this moment?
Belly has made it to the country club and is anxiously pacing the room as the search for Jeremiah continues. Laurel comes in to help with her hair and gives Belly a letter Susannah wrote for her for her wedding day (Jere has one too; she gave it to Conrad). They notice the white hydrangeas arranged on her makeup stand like the ones in Susannah’s garden; hmmm, I wonder who would’ve thought to put those there? Belly picks up her letter, and the scene switches to a shot of Jere’s letter in the front seat of Conrad’s car. Connie finally realizes where Jere would have disappeared to, or, more realistically, whose advice he’s craving. He heads to Susannah’s grave and finds him there.
Oh, The Way She Looked At You
Jere sits at the bench by his mother’s tombstone while Conrad walks up to him and tells him to come with him. Belly’s waiting. At the sound of Belly’s name, he pushes Conrad and tells him to shut the f**k up and not to say her name to him. Jere taunts him, asking him why he did it, did it make him feel noble giving her up for him? Finally, Conrad spits out: “I know about Cabo, you dick. So maybe I should be the one asking if you love her or not.” With that, Jere lands a right hook to Conrad’s jaw and sends him reeling. Conrad barely reacts, asking if they can go now, while Jere lands another punch to his stomach as he calls him a coward, never being able to admit his feelings for Belly to his face (am I dumb, or did he do this multiple times last season? Make it make sense).
Fine. I love her. Someti — sometimes I think she’s the only… girl I could ever be with, but she doesn’t want me. She…picked you.”
– Conrad in Last Kiss, episode eight of The Summer I Turned Pretty season three
Right as I’m feeling bad for Jeremiah, his true colors have to come out: “Yeah, she did. I gave you your shot years ago. You don’t f**king get another one.” If my soon-to-be-husband spoke about me like I was a game to be won the morning of our wedding, I’d burn the altar to the ground. Instead, Conrad gives Jere his letter from their mom. He turns away to read it, delivering some of his best nonverbal acting on the show to date (saying something because I really can’t stand this man’s on-camera presence). He folds it up and turns to Conrad:
I’m going back, but I’m not going back with you. You’re not my brother anymore. You’re dead to me. I don’t want you at my wedding; I want you gone. You’re never seeing her again. Or me. You and I are done. [he shoves the letter in his chest.] This is for you.
– Jeremiah in Last Kiss, episode eight of The Summer I Turned Pretty season three
Diabolical: Susannah put the wrong letter in Jere’s envelope, and of course, hers is all about how incredible it was to get to see her son loved so deeply and truly by Belly. All the little things she tells him to do for his future wife (cook for her, don’t try to win every fight, be a good listener, pay attention to what kind of jewelry she wears, get her chocolate), he’s been doing for Belly all summer long. How beautiful it is to know he already is the man she always hoped he’d be.
That’s Not Love. That’s Codependence.
Back at the club, Taylor comes in in a panic telling Belly Jere’s still not here, the guests are arriving, and the wedding planner is freaking out (I’ll ignore this for now, but we should’ve known the minute we saw Taylor’s wet hair look that this wedding wasn’t going through. Really? The wet look for the maid of honor?). Finally, Taylor gets to be the friend of the century, asking Belly if it would be the worst thing if Jere didn’t return. She tries to backtrack, but Belly pushes her to say it (is it just me or is Belly actively trying to get others to step in and call this wedding off? First she asks Laurel at the rehearsal if she’s going to try to talk her out of it one last time, she asks Jere if he’s bailing out when she tells him about Conrad, she tells Steven, the most standup guy, about Conrad being in love with her the morning of the wedding and how hurt Jere is, and now pushes Taylor to give her brutal honesty.)
Taylor tells her she doesn’t think she should do this, she doesn’t think Belly wants to. She asks if she’s supposed to side-step her crying herself to sleep two nights ago and ignore all the things she said about Conrad during her bachelorette. Belly, stubborn beyond belief despite her clear reluctance, doubles down and tells her that if she can’t support her, she should leave. Belly, you’re really losing it now, babe.
I’ve been supporting you this entire time, Belly. I have stood by you and watched you choose Jere over Paris, over your mom, and now over me? [Belly: Yes, I chose him over everyone because that is what you do when you love someone and you’re really in it with them.] Is it? Really? I don’t…I’m just, I’m worried about you. I feel like you’ve completely lost yourself in Jere. And, like, that’s not love. That’s codependence.”
– Taylor in Last Kiss, episode eight of The Summer I Turned Pretty season three
TAYLOR, SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK. Belly bites back and tells her to drop her TikTok psychology, yelling that she is the last person she’d get relationship advice from, calling her too selfish to ever put someone before herself. Of course, that’s when my boy Steven rolls through, telling her to take her messy relationship drama out on someone else. Taylor leaves as Steven scolds her for being cruel to a friend who consistently has her back. Belly really is crumbling, and she’s starting to get ugly. Before leaving, he tells her Jere’s back. Belly’s face visibly falls.
Jere clears the groomsmen out of his room and sticks his hand in a bucket of ice. He notices a note with a ring on it. It’s from Conrad: “I asked Dad to bring this from home. Meant to give it to you this morning. Belly should have Mom’s ring.” It seems as though Conrad was given their Mom’s ring, and it’s most likely for the exact reason we all think: Susannah intended for him to give it to Belly.
Bye-bye Birdie
Belly is finally about to put her dress on as the door opens. She thinks it’s going to be Jeremiah, but, of course, it’s Conrad. He has come to say goodbye. This interaction is so heartbreaking, I can’t put it into words. Do yourself a favor and watch the clip.
The cracking in Conrad’s voice, the tears in his eyes as he says he won’t see her for a long time, Belly’s puppy-dog-eyes ready to flood any minute as she steadily looks up at him, the kiss on the forehead, and, please, don’t even get me started on the flashback to young Conrad waving for her to join him as he runs to the sand dunes. Bye-bye birdie. Gut-punch, after gut-punch.
Only one moment of levity gets us through, Denise telling Steven, “she’s right over there,” and gesturing to Taylor. Wing-woman of the century. He apologizes to Taylor on Belly’s behalf, telling her she didn’t mean it, and she’s the best friend a girl could have. Amazing to Belly and to him. Taylor confesses that if she were really a good friend, she’d be happy he’s moving on. Steven laughs, telling her there’s nothing there. The small smile on her face, her heavy eyes, as she asks why not, Steven’s lingering look at her, her beaming grin. Oh, we’re so back, baby.
I’ll Always Have Him In My Heart
Back to the heartache, Jeremiah comes in to see Belly before they walk down the aisle; she’s finally in her dress. She seems surprised when he’s talking about them getting married (or is that disappointment), they’re both dressed and ready to go, he says. Belly tries to go over what’s happened, but he doesn’t want to: “I’m here now, aren’t I? That’s what matters. I-I always come back. Conrad’s the one who leaves” (you did banish him away, but I’ll let you have it in this emotionally disturbing time). Belly’s face contorts at the mention of his name, and Jeremiah can’t pretend he didn’t see it this time.
I can’t even say his name without you getting this look on your face. Even now, you can’t stop thinking about him, can you? I thought I could do this, but I can’t. I need you to look at me — look me in the eyes — and tell me you still don’t love him. [Belly: Jeremiah, I love you.] That’s not what I asked. I know you love me. What I’m asking…is do you love him, too?”
-Jeremiah in Last Kiss, episode eight of The Summer I Turned Pretty season three
Belly’s finally done lying, just in the knick of time. “Yes,” Belly answers, “I think I’ll always love him a little. I’ll always have him in my heart. But he’s not the one I chose. I choose you. I choose us.” See, this is where Belly becomes truly insufferable. I don’t even like this guy, but how dare she tell him she still loves his brother and then beg him to still marry him. It’s beyond cruel, and it’s honestly pathetic. Just embrace where you’re at and stop causing people more pain just so you can convince yourself you aren’t a bad person.
Again, Jere recenters the hatred by admitting he knew Conrad and Belly were together over Christmas, that’s why he picked a fight before Cabo and slept with someone else. Oh, okay, so you’re a manipulative asshole. I get it, Belly emotionally cheated (though she really couldn’t help it; they honestly did just spend friendly time together. They can just never be only friends. But Jeremiah, once again, let his insecurities run rampant. The attention is turned away from this moment when Jere insists she should have said no when he asked her to marry him if there was any doubt in her mind (okay, facts). In a moment that holds more chemistry and meaning than their entire relationship, Belly pleads with him:
With the banger of the season and the best line of Jeremiah’s in the show, he tells her, “You can’t marry me to erase him.” Precisely what she’s doing, Jeremiah, thank God you said something. Belly knows if she keeps pushing him, he’ll cave. So she lets him go, and with that, the wedding is called off.
And I Knew You’d Haunt All My What-Ifs
Cardigan by Taylor Swift scores the aftermath. Laurel comes in to a crying Belly, collecting her things, with the lines “When you are young, they assume you know nothing” playing as Belly looks at her and says “Lemon Jelly Belly” (their code word for when she needs Laurel to come get her and make her feel better from her youth). Ouch. Belly heads to the Cousins’ house and rapidly packs up her things.
Belly goes down to the kitchen and puts her key on the table. In what could be one of the most devastating moments of the show, she hears the echoes of little Conrad and Jeremiah’s voices calling her name, telling her to follow them. Belly gets in a cab as she watches the town she loves pass behind her. This is why she clung so tightly to these two boys: not only does she love them, but losing them means she loses this place she loves more than anything, the best part of her childhood.
At the airport, Belly looks at the departure table, and her eyes widen at a location. We all know where this is heading. Belly heads to the airport desk and, with her new passport and travel cards from Laurel, she buys a flight on the next plane to Paris. Redemption arc incoming. As she stands in line to board the plane, her eyes snag on someone. Who would it be other than Conrad Fisher sitting, waiting for his own flight? I think, if you listen closely, you can still hear my screams echoing in the wind. Belly turns to him with Taylor Swift singing “I knew you’d come back to me. You’d come back to me” as her mouth falls over. She takes what looks like a step in his direction, and the screen cuts to black. Chills.
War is officially over, my friends, but another battle is on its way. It looks like we’re going to get both: Belly choosing herself and rediscovering who she is in Paris, and a Conrad and Belly ending. The teaser trailer has released a sneak peek into the last three episodes of Belly in Paris, and it looks like a completely different show. In a good way, I think. But don’t worry, amidst all the self-reconnection, Belly receives a letter in her new flat, and it’s from Conrad Fisher. Here we go. I’ve got to give it up to Jenny Han; these last four episodes have been non-stop satisfying, deeply emotional, and often moving. Chris Briney, take a bow. Please, everyone, keep it up. Emily in Paris, move over, we’ve got a new American in town trying to find her true self. The good thing is that her true self is still in love with a boy from back home.
Rebuff on the drama from episode seven, Last Hurrah, of The Summer I Turned Pretty season three here.
Fill the gaps between episodes with a romance from our Love Is In The Air: Contemporary Romance bookshelf on Bookshop.
