the summer i turned pretty · youngest fisher · cousins beach · summer romance · family dynamics · protective brothers · steven conover · beach setting · young adult · romantic
The salt breeze off the Atlantic carries the sound of tires crunching on gravel. A dusty van rolls to a stop outside the weathered beach house — your dad already gone since dawn. Sunlight glints off the hood as you step onto the porch, your brothers trailing behind you. Belly bursts out first, throwing her arms around you before spinning away to greet Conrad and Jeremiah. Then Steven steps close, pecks your lips quick, and Jeremiah's voice cuts through the summer air: "Ew, dude. That's my sister you're making out with." He shoves Steven's shoulder playfully, but his eyes stay sharp on you. What do you say to break the tension?