Recap: An Open Book - Season 3 - Episode 1

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Trace has been on the road for three months opening for Donovan Wiley. Mark reminds Trace that once he is home, Mark expects him to be working on new music. Before he can head out, Donovan invites Trace up on the stage to perform a duet and the audience goes wild.

Back in Chesapeake Shores, the family gathers around to get ready for their busy mornings. Bree tells her family that a theater in Baltimore has chosen one of her plays to perform. Abby tells her mom that she is close to wrapping up all the environmental issues for the trust. Abby also begins to get frazzled about not having enough time with Trace, but Megan assures her to just breathe.

As Trace prepares to take off from Nashville back to Chesapeake Shores, Mark tells him that a national magazine wants to put Trace on their cover and they need to interview him tomorrow. A frustrated Trace wants to know when he is supposed to find the time to write new music when he keeps getting booked. Mark promises Trace the interview won’t take too long.

Later that night, Trace finally arrives at Chesapeake Shores, where he finds Abby waiting for him in the house she has decorated for his return. Trace presents Abby with three pair of cowboy boots for her, Carrie and Caitlyn. She immediately embraces him with a kiss as a thank you.

Back at the Inn, Donovan has taken Trace’s advice to pay Chesapeake Shores a visit and books a room. Meanwhile, Jess is enthralled with a manuscript that Bree left behind, especially when she begins to recognize herself to be one of the main characters.

Trace is interviewed by the country magazine at his club, and the interviewer, Ben, asks about his childhood and his band’s turbulent times. Trace begins to get defensive when questions start to arise about Abby.

Kevin and Connor are catching up in the kitchen when the conversation turns to Sarah. Kevin assures his brother that the two are just having fun and nothing is serious. Connor begins to pry, wondering if his brother is keeping it casual with Sarah because of what happened with Georgia. Kevin admits that might be part of the reasoning. Connor in turn is also not quite sure what is going on between him and Danielle.

Trace and Abby are taking a stroll downtown when they get approached by a group of giggly girls wanting an autograph from Trace. After the girls leave, Trace and Abby talk about their evening plans. Without them knowing, a couple of paparazzi photographers snap their photos from behind some bushes.

Bree and Nell are enjoying some bonding time when an angry Jess shows up. Jess confronts her sister on her manuscript, which is clearly written about Jess. Not letting Bree defend herself, Jess storms off.

Megan finds Abby and Trace at the beach helping set up for the upcoming Oyster Festival. When Trace takes off to check in on the club, Megan lets her daughter know how happy she is to see them doing so well. Abby also finds out about Bree and Jess’s tiff and leaves to see what she can do to help them make peace.

Connor is also helping with the set-up and Danielle joins him. Their time together is cut short when Mick asks for a moment alone with his son. Mick asks Connor to take another look at the agreement over the trust before they hand it in. Connor tells his dad he has been working on the agreement for three months and if Mick doesn’t sign off on it, they will go through another round of lawsuits.

Kevin and Sarah are having a beer at The Bridge and enjoying Donovan’s live performace on stage. While grabbing another drink, Trace tells Kevin he is happy to see that things are going so well between him and Sarah. Ben stops by and wants to know when he can finish his interview with Trace. Trace says he doesn’t have the time because of family engagements. Ben says that is even better; he can witness Trace in a more casual environment, and even asks Trace for permission to interview Abby and her daughters. Trace gives Ben a stern warning that Abby and her daughters are off-limits.

Back at the house, Abby confronts Bree about her manuscript. Bree swears that she only wrote what she knew and if there happens to be some familiar characters, that is not her fault. Trace comes down with the girls and together they all get ice cream. Again, paparazzi begin snapping photos from behind trees.

Trace stops by the Inn and asks Jess how Donovan has been as a guest. She says he has actually been very helpful. Trace goes to talk to him as he is enjoying the view outside on the porch. Trace confides in Donovan that Ben has been getting on his nerves with this interview. Donovan says he knows how hard it can be to balance fame and family life because he once had a wife and daughter, but that was many years ago. Donovan tells Trace that his wife couldn’t take the price of fame and left him, so he has been solo on the road ever since.

Ignoring his father’s advice to look over the contract one more time, Connor presents the final proposal about the land deal. Douglas accepts the deal but also tells Connor that he discovered a loophole that Connor missed, that still gives Douglas access to the land for development. Connor is both embarrassed and shocked by the mistake.

Kevin and Bree are working at the Save the Fountain booth and finding some catch-up time. Meanwhile, Douglas locates Abby at the fountain and thanks her for all the work she did when it came to the development deal. He makes sure to add that he hopes their paths cross again and Abby responds with a smile.

Trace agrees to finish up the interview with Ben. Ben wants to know more about tour life and what it is like having a second chance in the music industry. Trace responds that this time around he is more cautious and he has learned to take nothing for granted. When asked if Trace aspires to be the next Donovan Wiley, Trace says there is only room for one Donovan.

At the Oyster Festival, Connor confronts his father about the contract. Connor accuses Mick of leaving him out to dry. Mick reminds Connor that verbally he could not point out his son’s mistake in the contract, due to legal reasons. Mick say business is business and Connor needs to learn that. Connor storms off and tells Kevin that he is going to move out of the family house and start looking for a new place to live in Chesapeake Shores.

As the festival winds down, Abby and Trace grab some alone time at the campfire. Trace reminds Abby that this is what life is all about. The girls join the two at the fire and they all share in laughs and taking photos.