We'll Always Have Summer (Summer, #3)

by Jenny Han

be a selfish bastard like usual. Be the good guy she says you are. Let her go.” Be the good guy she says you are.

“Honestly?” I swigged my beer. “It’s pretty much killing me.” Laurel looked back at me, her face tender. “I’m sorry. I know you love her a lot, kid. This must be really hard on you.”

“We’ll get through it tomorrow, I promise. It’ll be you and me, kid.” Squeezing my hand, she said, “God, I miss your mom.” “Me too.” “We really need her right now, don’t we?” I bowed my head and started to cry.

I couldn’t marry Jeremiah tomorrow like this, not with a secret that big between us.

“This isn’t what I wanted for you. But I’m here. This is your wedding day. My only daughter.”

“Do you still want to do this? You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

“Belly. Take this however you want to take it, okay? I have five words for you. Are you ready?” I opened my eyes and nodded.

Very solemnly he said, “Go big or go home.”

“Go big or go home? Go big or go home.” I was laughing so hard, tears were running down my cheeks.

Yeah, I still gave you the go-ahead, because I trusted you to take care of her and treat her right. Then you go and cheat on her in Cabo during spring break. So maybe I should be the one asking if you love her or not.”

“Don’t talk to me about who loves Belly more. I’ve always loved her. Not you. You treated her like garbage. You left her so

many times, man. You’re a coward. Even now, you can’t admit it to my face.”

“Fine. I love her. I admit it. Sometimes—sometimes I think she’s the only girl I could ever be with. But Jere, she picked you. You’re the one she wants to marry. Not me.” I pulled the envelope out of my pocket, stumbled up, and pushed it at his ...

“I’m going back,” he finally said. “But not with you. You’re not my brother anymore. You’re dead to me. I don’t want you at my wedding. I don’t want you in my life. I want you gone.”

I heard him turn the doorknob, and then I heard him close the door again. I thought he’d gone, until I heard him say, “Do you remember infinity?”

Tossing something toward me, he said, “Catch.”

I reached out and caught it in the air. A silver necklace. I held it up and examined it. The infinity necklace. It didn’t shine the way it used to; it looked a bit coppery now....

Conrad held the necklace out to me. Softly, he said, “It belongs to you, always has. I was too afraid to give it to you then. Consider it an early birthday gift. Or a belated one. You can do whatever you want with it. I just—can’t keep it anymore.”

“I’m sorry for screwing everything up. I hurt you again, and for that I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I don’t want to do that anymore. So… I’m not going to stay for the wedding. I’m just going to take off now. I won’t see you again, not for a long time. Probably for the best. Being near you like this, it hurts. And Jere”—Conrad cleared his throat and stepped backward, making space between us—“he’s the one who needs you.”

“I need you to know that no matter what happens, it was worth it to me. Being with you, lovin...

“I wish you both the best. Take good care ...

I always believed that we would find our way back to each other every time. That no matter what, we would be connected—by our history, by this house. But this time, this last time, it felt final.

So no, he didn’t give me flowers or candy. He gave me the moon and the stars. Infinity.

There are moments in every girl’s life that are bigger than we know at the time. When you look back, you say, That was one of those life-changing, fork-in-the-road moments and I didn’t even see it coming. I had no idea. And then there are the moments that you know are big. That whatever you do next, there will be an impact. Your life could go in one of two directions. Do or die.

Jeremiah and I didn’t get married. It wouldn’t have been right. Not for either of us. Sometimes I wondered if we had rushed into getting married because we were both trying to prove something to the other and maybe even to ourselves. But then I think no, we truly did love each other. We truly did have the best of intentions. It, we, just weren’t meant to be.

My young man is kind and good and strong, just like you said. But he doesn’t kiss me like Rhett kissed Scarlett. He kisses me even better. And there’s one other thing you were right about. He does have the last name Fisher.

I look out the window, and there is Jere across the lawn. He has his arm around his date, and our eyes meet.

This is our start. This is the moment it becomes real. We are married. We are infinite. Me and Conrad. The first boy I ever slow danced with, ever cried over. Ever loved.