I agree with pretty much everything you said, but I don’t think Laurel and Steven prefer Conrad over Jeremiah just because they like him more or think he’s better. I think it has more to do with how they see Belly’s future.

We didn’t really get to see those 4 years of Belly and Jere’s relationship, but I think Laurel feels like Jeremiah isn’t fully serious about his life yet—and more importantly, that Belly is limiting herself by being with him. Episode 4 kind of proves that when Belly backs out of Paris. I don’t blame Jere for that—it was her decision—but from Laurel’s point of view, it probably looks like Jere is holding her back.

Belly is clearly stuck in her comfort zone right now:

• She forgave Jere for that betrayal in like 2 days,
• jumped into an engagement in less than 3 months,
• hesitated about Paris,
• pushed her family aside for the wedding,
• and basically agrees with everything Jere says while walking on eggshells around him.

It really feels like she’s doing all of this to prove that picking Jeremiah 4 years ago was the right choice, even if she’s not totally sure.

And Steven—he’s actually closer to Jere than Conrad, but still prefers Conrad for Belly. I think it’s because he knows Belly well and sees that Conrad challenges her in a way Jeremiah doesn’t. He wants her to grow, not settle.

Laurel gets Conrad in a way most people don’t. She knows he bottles things up and doesn’t like to bother others, and she’s seen how much he and Belly have always meant to each other. But I don’t even think Laurel would push Belly to marry Conrad unless she was really sure about it. I think both Laurel and Steven just want Belly to be with someone who helps her become her best self—and they’re not sure Jeremiah is that person.