Episode 8 of The Summer I Turned Pretty finally delivers the moment fans have been bracing themselves for Belly and Jeremiah’s wedding day. It’s been teased and built up all season, and while many expected the whole thing to collapse long before this point, the show leans into the drama and heartbreak in a way only it can. This episode is a cocktail of love, regret, and devastating honesty, and it leaves both the characters and the audience emotionally drained by the time the credits roll.
The Morning After the Beach Confrontation
We pick up where last week’s cliffhanger left us, the aftermath of Conrad’s confession on the beach. Belly, torn between anger and longing, starts her day with Jeremiah’s apologetic voicemail. He missed their late-night meetup after drinking too much, and Belly keeps her response short, reminding him she loves him and is excited for the rehearsal dinner. Yet beneath her calm exterior, Conrad’s words from the night before are still echoing in her mind.
Downstairs, she bumps into Conrad, he bailed on the planned fishing trip, unable to stomach spending the day alongside Jeremiah after what he revealed. Conrad tries to smooth things over, blaming his love confession on alcohol. Belly doesn’t buy it. She lashes out, telling him he hasn’t changed and demanding he leave before the wedding. The exchange turns fiery, Conrad insists that she’s always known how much he loves her, while Belly coldly claims she feels nothing for him anymore. The moment is brutal, especially because we hear Belly’s inner voice confessing the opposite: she knows she’ll never be able to let him go, even if she won’t risk betting her life on him.
Taylor Stands Her Ground
After Conrad storms off, he runs into Taylor, who has just finished a run. True to her best-friend instincts, Taylor grills Conrad about upsetting Belly. At first, he tries to brush her off, but eventually admits the truth: he still loves Belly and always has. Taylor listens but delivers a sharp reminder that if he truly cares about her, he has to let her go. Conrad may see Belly’s conflicted heart, but Taylor insists he isn’t capable of being the steady partner Belly needs right now.
Tension at the Rehearsal Dinner
The rehearsal dinner is a minefield waiting to explode. Taylor warns Belly that Conrad’s words and feelings aren’t fading, but Belly is determined to stay focused on Jeremiah. Still, her nervous glances give her away. When Conrad shows up at the dinner, Belly is visibly shaken, unable to concentrate on anything but his presence.
Jeremiah tries to lighten the mood during the toasts, saving his words for his brother until last. He thanks Conrad for being “loyal as hell,” a painful irony given Conrad’s confession and the messy reality simmering under the surface.
Later that evening, Jeremiah tells Belly he’s accepted a job working with their father. Belly feels blindsided; he didn’t consult her, and now their supposed dream apartment and shared plans are shifting under her feet. She reminds him that marriage means making choices together, but puts on a brave face for the moment.
When the night winds down, Jeremiah and Belly run into Conrad again. Jer awkwardly invites him for ice cream, but Conrad declines. Jeremiah presses, reminding him that as best man, he owes him support and a speech at the wedding.
In one of the episode’s most tender moments, Laurel finds Conrad sitting alone. She sees through his act and gently coaxes out his truth: it’s killing him to watch Belly marry Jeremiah, but he’s resolved to stand by his brother. Laurel comforts him, assuring him he’ll get through the heartbreak, and promises he isn’t alone.
The Truth Comes Out
The night before the wedding, Belly can’t sleep. She slips into the pool to clear her mind, and the weight of her secret becomes too much. She sneaks into Jeremiah’s room and tells him everything about Conrad’s declaration of love. Jeremiah’s first instinct is rage; he wants to confront his brother, but he holds back. Instead, he asks the real question: Does Belly still love Conrad? Belly insists she’s only confessing so there are no secrets between them, not because she doubts her choice. Still, the unease lingers.
The next morning, Jeremiah is nowhere to be found. Panic spreads until Conrad finally tracks him down. Their confrontation explodes into violence as Jeremiah punches Conrad, furious at his brother for inserting himself into Belly’s life again. In the heat of the argument, Conrad gives Jeremiah a letter their mother Susannah had written. Jeremiah assumes it’s meant for him, but quickly discovers the truth: the letter was for Conrad. This revelation ignites his fury further, and he declares that Conrad is dead to him, vowing he’ll never let him near Belly again.
Jeremiah Confronts Belly
At the wedding venue, Belly is spiralling, worried about Jeremiah’s absence. Taylor takes the opportunity to give her best friend a reality check. She challenges Belly to admit that, despite her insistence, she’s never stopped loving Conrad. Belly pushes back, but Taylor refuses to soften the truth: choosing Jeremiah has meant Belly repeatedly sacrificing her own dreams.
When Conrad finds Belly, he apologises. He admits that while loving her has caused him pain, it was worth it, and he plans to leave so she can be happy with Jeremiah. The goodbye is raw and heartbreaking, a reminder of the connection they can’t erase, no matter how hard they try.
Jeremiah finally arrives, but instead of reconciliation, the moment unravels. He demands that Belly look him in the eye and deny her love for Conrad. For the first time, Belly stops lying to herself. She admits that Conrad will always have a place in her heart, even if Jeremiah is the one she wants to marry. To Jeremiah, that’s not enough. He doesn’t want a fraction of her love; he wants all of it.
He reveals he’s known all along about her lingering feelings, about Christmas with Conrad and their time at the beach house. He points out the painful truth: Belly has never looked at him the way she looks at Conrad. He recalls Susannah’s letter, which declared she had only ever seen Conrad truly in love once, and it was with Belly. With those words, Jeremiah calls off the wedding, leaving Belly devastated but unable to chase after him.
Belly’s Next Chapter
As the episode winds down, Belly makes a choice for herself. She packs her bag, grabs her passport, and heads to the airport, determined to find a fresh start in Paris. Yet destiny has one final twist. As she waits at her gate, she spots a familiar figure in the crowd - Conrad. The screen fades to black, leaving fans on edge, wondering what this chance encounter will spark in the final stretch of the season.
Closing Thoughts
Episode 8 is a whirlwind of heartbreak and honesty. What began as a wedding day turns into a painful but necessary unravelling of truths that have been bubbling all season. Jeremiah refuses to settle for half of Belly’s heart, Belly finally admits her eternal love for Conrad, and Conrad himself takes a bittersweet step back. The episode ends not with vows, but with broken promises, unanswered questions, and the possibility of new beginnings.
Read more: The Summer I Turned Pretty episode recap
