It’s morning in Chesapeake Shores when Mick steps outside to fetch his newspaper, glancing across his yard at the beauty surrounding him. He turns to walk inside but before he can shut the door, Connor races down the stairs, grabs the sports section and darts into another room. Mick then turns around as Jess barrels through the door and dashes upstairs. Passing Jess on the stairs, Bree makes her way downstairs carrying a large red typewriter. Lastly Abby, who’s in a heated phone call with Wes, flies down the stairs and out the front door. Having completed his door duties, Mick shuts the door behind Abby and throws his hands up in exasperation.
Outside, Abby and Wes continue to argue about custody of their girls. Before leaving, Wes gave Abby a petition for full custody of the girls. Wes tells Abby that he can’t keep paying the girl’s private school tuition and that if they live with him, the girls can go to public school. Abby offers to pay the tuition, but Wes in unwilling to change his mind. As they argue, Abby makes her way back inside, past her family who overhears everything.
After ending her call with Wes, Abby returns to the kitchen and her family, who eagerly await an update on the situation. Abby and Wes had originally agreed they would have the girls on alternating weeks during the summer. Standing across from Abby, Connor points out that by keeping the girls in Chesapeake Shores, Abby broke the agreement. The entire family gets angry, but Connor isn’t wrong and genuinely hopes that Abby has an actual plan. Abby assures everyone that she does have a plan and the family turns with anticipation to hear the details. Finally, after a long pause, Abby tells her family that her plan is to move back to Chesapeake Shores for good.
Later in the day, Mick and Bree take a walk to the small cottage on the O’Brien property. The renter just moved out and Mick thinks the cottage would be the perfect place for Bree to enjoy a change in scenery while she works on her new play. As Mick explains his thoughts, Bree blurts out that she and Martin are doing fine. Mick glosses over the outburst and instead, walks her through the cottage pointing out its finer features. Afterwards, they stand on the porch and Mick remarks that this is where he would write, “if he could do what Bree does.” Bree looks concerned and responds, “Lately, I can’t even do what I do.”
Across town, Abby pulls into the church parking lot where Trace is working. He’d asked her to come by so he could apologize for his behavior at Jess’s grand opening party. While the protective side of Trace is comforting, Abby knows that she must make it clear to Trace that things are different now. With Wes fighting for custody, she has no choice but to put her girls first. Trace is sympathetic but he still thinks that the kiss they shared changed everything. However, in Abby’s mind, the kiss was a mistake. She’s tells him that she doesn’t have the luxury to act like a teenager and that for now, she and Trace must remain strictly friends.
Later in the day Mick stops by the church to check on Trace’s progress. As they talk, Mick acknowledges that things can’t be easy between Trace and Abby, but he’s sure his daughter has a good head on her shoulders and will figure out what she needs to do. In contrast, Trace says he tends to rely on his gut for big decisions. Mick isn’t surprised and assumes that’s how artists think. He tells Trace that if he had a head like Abby’s he’d see things differently and might even be working for his dad at the bank. Angered by Mick’s insinuation, Trace tells him that at some point, Abby stopped paying attention to a part of herself. He tells Mick about a mural Abby had painted on a wall at school. The wall was out of sight on the backside of the gym. It didn’t make a whole lot of sense to anyone but Abby thought she could make something beautiful and it was important to her. Trace realizes from the look on Mick’s face that he doesn’t understand the point. Fed up, Trace thanks Mick and tells him that he’s got the job from here.
Back at the B&B, Bree finds Jess sitting on the back deck looking out at the shore. Despite pulling off a grand opening, Jess still isn’t ready to have guests and has no idea when she’ll be able to open and start making money. But Jess has one bright hope: her mom will be leaving soon and she can stop trying to avoiding her at every turn. Bree is sympathetic and goes on to say that that while she and her mother don’t have a great relationship now, she knows in her heart that her mom loves her. She also understands that because she was so young when their mother left, Jess can’t yet trust that their mother actually loves her. But Bree also knows things won’t get better for Jess unless she tries. Jess appreciates the sentiment, but she’s still not ready to let her mom back into her heart.
At the house, Connor and Abby discuss a plan to stop Wes from getting full custody of the girls. As they review documents and discuss plans, Connor begins to play out how the questioning will go in court. What starts out as a playful game quickly turns into very personal questions about Abby’s relationships with Trace. Connor continues to playfully push Abby about her relationship with Trace without realizing that his joking has crossed a line with Abby. Finally, Abby reaches a breaking point and demands that Connor stop. Connor explains that he’s trying to show her what it’ll be like in court but Abby has had enough. She gathers her things and tells him that going through it once will be enough. She storms out leaving Connor to immediately regret what he’s done.
Things for Connor go from bad to worse later when he and his dad are driving through town. Connor has never felt loved by his father and the weekend with his family has brought those emotions to the forefront. Connor angrily accuses his father of using this family gathering as an attempt to mask all their underlying problems. Mick angrily snaps back at Connor telling him that he can go back to New York and do whatever he wants. If Connor doesn’t want to be a part of the O’Brien family, then Mick isn’t going to stop him. Connor tries to regain his composure but it’s too late. Mick opens the car door as Connor tries to gather his emotions. Mick either doesn’t hear or chooses to ignore this and continues walking. Mick suddenly stops and turns, walking back. Connor looks relived until Mick hands him the gas card, tells him to fill the tank and park the car in the driveway.
Back at the B&B, the plumbers are leaving as Mick and Megan arrive. As they reach the door, Bree, Abby and Connor walk out. Bree asks her mom if they can go for a walk and they head off together leaving Connor and Mick alone together. They exchange a few awkward words and Mick prepares to walk away again. But this time Connor moves in for a hug. They hug, but instead of pulling away, Connor holds onto his father. The two hold onto each other in a much needed sign that they really do love each other.
Later at the seaport, Mick and Megan prepare to say goodbye. As they exit the car, Mick asks Megan about the Pandora’s box he opened with this surprise family weekend. Megan isn’t sure what will come of it, but she’s glad Mick did what he did. Mick laughs as he realizes that he and Megan made it almost three days without fighting. They laugh and agree that after this goodbye, they will keep in touch. Megan says ciao and walks off to catch her flight.
Later that night, outside the high school, Mick sits in his car looking at a wall behind the gymnasium. The image is a silhouette of a young woman standing along the shore. In the lower corner of wall, the mural is Abby O’Brien’s signature. His eyes full of tears, Mick sits in his car staring at the mural and realizing the incredible and vibrant world Abby once saw for herself. And for the first time, Mick tries to understand the Abby that Trace knows, and the Abby he’s never bothered to see.
