Conrad

I woke up early to make sure I had the good muffins ready for Belly and started a brisket in the smoker to make pulled pork sandwiches for dinner tonight. Belly's favorite. It looked like the rest of the family was here now, judging by the amount of cars in the driveway. But the house was still quiet, peaceful. I made myself a cup of coffee and headed out to the dock to enjoy the sunrise.

When I finally made it back in, the entire house had come alive. Laurel was chastising Belly for the amount of sugar she was putting in her coffee. Jere was trying to make bacon and eggs, with Steven hovering over him impatiently. Taylor was slumped on the table complaining about the noise, while Skye was trying to get her to eat something for her hangover. Jere's latest girlfriend, Shay, was picking at a muffin, trying not to laugh at Jere and Steven's antics. I leaned in the door frame taking it all in. For the first time in years, it felt full here. It felt like the magic was everywhere this morning. Laurel was the first to notice my presence. She smiled and tossed me a muffin across the kitchen.

"Connie! I was starting to think you were going to sleep all day." I laughed and walked over to refill my coffee cup.

"I've been up for hours. I didn't want to wake you guys though, so I've been down at the dock." Belly was facing the counter stirring her cup, avoiding looking at me. I raised my eyebrow at Laurel and she shrugged. I leaned back against the same counter, so she had to face me. "Good morning Isabel." She rolled her eyes and turned away.

"Tay, Skye, are you guys ready to go? Shay, you're more than welcome to join if you want to get away from these idiots." Belly said laughing. It turns out Shay was actually one of Belly's former suite mates from Finch.

I watched them shuffle towards the front door. Even with her ignoring me, this was still the happiest I had felt in a long time. I felt hopeful again. I smiled and threw an arm around Laurel. "Thanks for being here."

"It's nice to see you smile again. Like really smile, Con." She said, leaning against me.

"Hey, I smile!" I said laughing.

"No, she's right bro. You seem… Lighter. Like you aren't carrying the world on your shoulders anymore." Steven said, munching on a strip of bacon.

Jeremiah looked over at me appraisingly. "They're right, man. She always brings that light back to your eyes." I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. He shook his head. "Chill. It's good. We're good. You deserve to be happy, Con. I never should have stood in the way of that."

I suddenly felt slightly choked up. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with my asshole brother?" I said laughing. Then I smiled. "Thanks Jere… I appreciate it. But I think there is a long road before she is even willing to talk to me, let alone give me another chance."

Steven and Jere exchanged looks. "Good thing I'm a literal genius then who has the perfect plan to help my bro out." Steven said, grinning like a maniac. "And my sis I guess." Jere snorted at that.

"We've actually been working out several tactics for Operation Save Bonrad." Jeremiah said, somehow with a straight face.

"Okay that is a terrible name," Laurel said laughing. "But I'm all in, let's hear them." What the literal fuck is happening right now?

"We are not plotting against Belly, guys. I don't want to be like.. Manipulative." I said.

"It's not plotting! Okay, maybe a little. But it's fine. After all the things I did to keep you guys apart, it's the least I can do." Jere said, way too cheerfully, considering it's also his ex girlfriend.

"Besides, my girl TayTay is already on it. It took a long time for her to give up on team Jellyfish, but after the last couple years she too has come to see that you guys are like… soulmates or whatever."

"And Shay is in on it too. I don't think Skye knows what's going on, but it won't take long to get them to help."

"Dude.. No. She's going to be so pissed at me if she thinks-" Laurel put her hand on my shoulder and cut me off.

"She loves you Connie. She just has to see you aren't going to push her away this time. Try not to think of it as manipulative."

"Man… If you do push her away again… I really am going to kick your ass." Steven said, waving another slice of bacon at me, threateningly.

And then three of the most important people in my life, and apparently the craziest, started discussing different ways to convince the love of my life to give me a second chance. And for the second time that morning, I felt filled with hope.

Taylor

Operation Save Bonrad is officially in progress. I admit, I never thought Conrad was the right choice for Belly. In fact, it has been a sensitive subject between Steven and I for a long time. But after what Jere pulled a couple years ago, and Belly swearing off men since then, it's become clear they are meant to be together. So when she told me she was actually coming back to Cousins this summer, I instantly started plotting to correct the mistake I made by backing Team Jellyfish from the beginning. From now on it's Bonrad all the way, and from the look of things, Shere? Or maybe even Jay? I smirk looking over at Shay. They also have terrible prospects for a couple name, but nothing as awful as Bonrad.

We had decided to start the summer out with a day out shopping for new swimsuits. It was clearly Bellys way of avoiding being at the house, but I let her have it. Besides, a new bikini is exactly what she needs. After all, the one I got her for her 16th birthday is probably what made Conrad see her in a new light anyway. The only problem is, she keeps picking out the most hideous one pieces.

"Isabel, if you walk out of the room in anything other than a bikini, I swear to all that is holy I'm going to-" Just then she stomped out of the changing room, wearing a white one piece. A low-cut asymmetrical halter one piece. "Holy shit…"

"Shut up. I didn't know it had the whole side missing. I'm not getting it."

"YES, you are." Shay said. "Is, you look so freaking hot!" I like Shay, but I hate that she always refers to Belly as Is. It was a nickname she got at the beginning of our freshman year of college, when Belly and I had been a bit on the outs.

"Skye, help. Tell them this swimsuit is ridiculous."

Skye shrugged their shoulders. "I like it. It goes really well with your overall complexion." I tried to stifle my laugh. Skye couldn't care less about Belly's swimsuit. They are, however, a part of Operation Save Bonrad. I cornered Skye as soon as I got to the beach house to make sure they were willing to help.

"It's settled then, that's what you're buying." Belly grumbled as she walked back into the changing room, but she must have known it wasn't worth the argument, because she did buy it. Conrad is going to lose his mind when he sees her in it. Not that he needs any convincing, that man is wild about her. But feeling confident could only help her at this point, she's never fully recovered from the blow of Jere cheating with the skank Lacie.

Honestly, I still hate Jeremiah a little on my girl's behalf. But again… I feel pretty guilty about pushing her to pick him. So I keep my mouth shut about them being friends. And I pretend not to see how much it affects her that he started seeing one of her former roommates. But I'll be damned if I sit back and let her keep running from the chance to be happy. Which is why our next stop is the boardwalk, where we will "accidentally" run into the boys. And fuel Belly into a rematch of the last time we were all there together. I seriously love plotting. This is going to be so much fun!

"Bellyyyy, I'm getting hangry. Can we stop on the boardwalk and get ice cream from that place I like?"

"You're always hangry Tay," She said laughing. God, I have missed her so much. I grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.

"I really am. You know me so well. Is that a yes? Pleeeaasseeee?" She pushed me off playfully.

"Only if we can stop by Whale of a Tale on the way there. Mom's supposed to be doing a signing there and I wanna stop by and support her for a bit."

"She's really been taking off the last few years. I saw her on a talk show doing an interview the other day. You must be proud of her." Shay said.

Belly nodded. "I am. But not just about the books. She's changed a lot in the last few years, I really didn't think she would ever come back fully from her grief about Susannah."

"I think having her in my mom's life helped her with her grief and regrets. Maybe they helped each other heal." Skye smiled. "It's been great seeing her without all the weight she used to carry inside herself."

Belly bumped her arm against Skye's. "I know exactly what you mean." They turned and walked into the book store, so I stopped outside to call Steven.

"Hey TayTay," he answered.

"Hey, lover. Phase one complete. Meet you at the spot in 20?"

"Affirmative. But maybe 30. Conrad is dragging his feet about the whole thing."

"Uhg. Okay, I'll stall. Love youuuu."

"Love you more."

Sometimes we're so cheesy it makes me sick. But then I just think about how much it hurt to be separated from him when we used to be off and on. 14 year old me would die to know that adult me is really with Steven freakin' Conklin. I'm so lucky.

The rest of the group was finishing up with Laurel. I waved at her through the window as they came back out to join me to head to the ice cream shop.

I skipped into the parlor to taste test every flavor while my man drags his best friend out here.

Belly

Taylor has literally tried every flavor in this parlor before settling on freaking vanilla. And of course she insisted on being first in line, so we all had to wait before we could order. That wasn't even surprising, what was surprising is that both Shay and Skye did the same freaking thing. When it was my turn to order, a group of guys shoved in front of me.

"Oh, hey Bells. Didn't see you there." Jeremiah said, ruffling my hair.

"Hey, you can't just cut me like that!" I said, pushing him away. But Conrad and Steven were already in the front of the line now.

"Sorry, Belly." Steven said without looking back. At least Conrad had ordered quickly and moved on, Steven was apparently the same indecisive that Taylor is, trying several flavors.

"Here," He said quietly, handing me a cup of ice cream. "I got you blueberry." Before I could tell him I'm capable of getting my own, he walked off to sit with Skye.

I tried not to think too much about him remembering my favorite flavor, but that's all I could think about while I sat and ate it. And he didn't even look at me once the entire time we were there. What the fuck?

"Hey, you know what would be fun?" Skye said. "We should totally do another game day like we did my first summer here. That was really great." No, we really shouldn't Skye. But they really never suggest things, and I know Cam will be working there again, so who am I to get in the way of that.

"That's a great idea! I've been wanting to bring Shay to the arcade anyway, she's a hell of a gamer." Jeremiah said. I groaned internally. But outside I just smiled and nodded. I am so going to regret this.