Episode 4 of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" kicks off with Conrad, his breath ragged and pulse racing, attempting to regain composure as he strides towards the serene beach. His friend Steven, sensing the distress, trails behind and inquiries about his well-being. Conrad initially dismisses Steven's concern, yet moments later seeks a reprieve from his turmoil.
Steven, with a touch of humor, diverts the conversation, reminiscing about his aversion to the beach and how Conrad and Jeremiah had helped him overcome his fear of the vast ocean. He lauds Conrad as the epitome of cool, praising his unwavering support. Gradually, Conrad's taut nerves begin to unwind, and he confides in Steven about his acceptance into Stanford to pursue Biology, yet his apprehension about the potential strain on his bond with Jeremiah looms large. Steven Conrad not to dwell on future uncertainties and encourage him to speak to his brother.
The next dawn breaks with Belly stirring from her slumber, discovering Julia's arrival at the Beach House with her darling daughter Skye, readying for an Open House event. As Conrad and Jeremiah return from the shore, the news of the impending meeting disrupts the calm. The brothers engage in a heated exchange with Julia, who insists that she doesn't need a horde of teenagers disrupting her realtor's visit for a potential sale.
Conrad, his voice firm, confronts Julia, declaring that he won't sit idly by and let the house slip away without a fight. He blames Julia for the predicament, but Skye intercedes, urging Conrad to be kind to his mother, acknowledging that the sale was equally difficult for her.
Retreating to his room, Conrad finds Julia waiting. Their conversation delves into the significance of the beach house to Susannah, a sentiment Julia understands yet laments the financial burden of its upkeep.
Meanwhile, Steven speaks to his mother over the phone, vowing to look after Belly and Taylor. Taylor, teasingly remarking on Steven's amusing pajamas, later seeks Belly out in her room. The girls delve into Belly's latest exploits at the Beach House, and Taylor admonishes her friend from getting entangled in the Conrad-Jeremiah family drama once again. Belly, fearing that the Open House will hasten Julia's decision to sell, voices her desire to intervene.
The girls' conversation shifts to Belly's aspirations of joining the school volleyball team, and Taylor attempts to bolster her spirits. She exhorts Belly to move beyond her past and focus on the bright future ahead. When the realtor Sandy appears, Belly attempts to usher her away, but Conrad intervenes, boldly proclaiming that Belly is his girlfriend and that the house is theirs, not for sale.
Julia arrives precisely on time, breathlessly informing Sandy that the air conditioning in the house has unexpectedly malfunctioned. Sandy's dismay is palpable as she realizes the implications of hosting an open house on a scorching summer day without cooling. Swiftly, they decide to postpone the event, much to the delight of the teenagers, who see it as a small triumph.
To commemorate their fleeting victory, Belly, Taylor, Steven, Conrad, and Jeremiah decide to embark on a trip to the beach. Initially hesitant, Skye is persuaded by Julia's kind invitation and eventually joins the group. Belly reveals to Jeremiah that inviting Skye was a deliberate move to showcase what a summer in Cousins truly feels like.
As the six teenagers arrive at the beach, they share fond memories and heartfelt stories of their childhood at Cousins with Skye. Conrad mentions that Susannah holds a special fondness for the beach house Julia is selling, but Skye stands up for her mother, defending her as someone who's currently going through a difficult time. Belly skillfully diffuses the tension, challenging the group to a friendly competition.
The girls — Taylor, Belly, and Skye — form one team, while the boys — Jeremiah, Conrad, and Steven — constitute the other. The stakes are high in the ultimate showdown: Belly versus Conrad. Jeremiah declares that the prize remains unchanged, a bag of candy of the winner's choice for the losers. Belly reflects on how fleetingly they can reclaim a part of their past, even for just a day, as the two teams face off in a thrilling group shooting game.
Conrad's team emerges victorious in the first round, leaving Belly and the girls to lament their loss. After the match, Skye approaches Conrad and Jeremiah, earnestly explaining Julia's complex nature. They confess that Julia and Susannah, though half-sisters, have never grown close. Skye urges them to be more understanding of their mother.
The next challenge in the showdown is a rock-climbing duel between Taylor and Steven, where, despite her valiant efforts, Steven emerges the victor. Cameron, now employed as a referee at the Cousins Beach arcade, joins the fray, adding an air of authenticity to the proceedings.
Finally, Belly and Conrad square off in a nail-biting game of "Shoot Your Shot," where Belly prevails, sinking all five baskets to Conrad's four. As the group high-fives Taylor, Skye begins to warm up to her newfound friends, despite their stern warnings. Cameron offers Belly a choice of prizes, but instead of selecting the teddy Conrad had suggested, Belly opts for a giraffe plushie.
A flashback takes us to a summer when Belly was thirteen, when Conrad invited her to the fair, just the two of them. She recalls the sting of her first heartbreak, convinced that Conrad had feelings for her. However, she realizes that Conrad had taken her there to speak to a girl who worked at the arcade booth. To give him space, Belly spent the day wandering the fair alone. After his game, Conrad finds Belly and presents her with the same teddy he had offered her years later.
Back at the beach house, Taylor and Steven discuss the mysterious failure of the air conditioning, with Steven feigning ignorance despite Taylor's suspicions. Meanwhile, Belly and Conrad make a side bet, stipulating that the losing team must brave the Tower of Terror, a ride they despised as children. As Belly engages in conversation with Jeremiah, she realizes she knows him almost too well.
The dance arcade game's next face-off pitted Jeremiah against Skye, and to everyone's astonishment, Skye emerged victorious. Despite Skye's strict rules, the girls ended their match in a heartfelt hug. Belly reminisced about her childhood summers spent with Laurel and Susannah, sending a silent wish of good luck to her mother for the upcoming book signing event.
At the signing, Laurel struggled to engage with potential readers until Cleveland's arrival brightened the atmosphere. They spoke candidly about Conrad, the Fisher family, and Susannah's tragic passing. Cleveland advised Laurel to be present for Belly during this difficult time, rather than attempting to fix things for her as a parent. Laurel, avoiding the truth, simply told Belly she had been busy.
The showdown culminated in a nail-biting arcade car race between Team Belly and Team Conrad, which ended in a tiebreaker victory for Conrad's squad. As the boys chose their treats, Belly confessed to Taylor her doubts about rejoining the volleyball team. Taylor and Skye, however, reassured her that she was the heartbeat of the girls' team. Conrad invited Belly to ride the Tower of Terror as a bet, but Jeremiah stepped in, offering to soothe her nerves.
Sitting side by side, Jeremiah vowed to be Belly's rock. She reminisced about the countless times he'd been there for her, recalling a particular instance when he stayed home to care for her during a fever, forgoing a trip to the beach with his friends. Their hands clasped, Belly thanked Cameron for accompanying them and invited him to join them at the Beach House.
On the ride home, Conrad and Steven reminisced about the joy of reliving their childhood. Steven observed a connection between Belly and Conrad, suggesting a romantic spark, but Conrad dismissed the idea. Upon returning home, Conrad inquired about the teddy bear he'd won for Belly, only to find she'd set it aside, claiming she was no longer thirteen. The episode concluded with the teenagers' emotional response to Julia's emptying of the Beach House in their absence.
