Stephanie is at the café when Sam drops by and apologizes for missing their dinner date. Stephanie seems reluctant, but they reschedule for the following evening.
Sam gets a call from Cassie about Grace missing and Nick being gone as well. They work together to try to figure out where the kids might be. Lori is anxiously waiting in the kitchen when Abigail walks in from her hospital visit. Cassie looks up expectantly at her cousin for answers. Outside, Nick is walking Grace home – she thanks him for the favor. He tells her to be careful, that she is a rule follower, not breaker. Grace walks into the house and everyone is relieved to see her. Grace tells them she was studying at the library and that she is sorry to have worried everyone. Sam confronts Nick at home for going out without permission, and he asks Nick if Grace was with him. Nick doesn’t answer and goes to his room.
At Grey House, Grace is holding her dad’s compass. Cassie notices, and the two talk. Grace apologizes for troubling her mom and Cassie kisses her daughter. In the kitchen, Cassie tells Abigail that she fears her cousin is only here to ‘stir the pot.’ Abigail shares that she is doing so in order for things not to boil over. They can’t see eye to eye and Cassie is struggling with Abigail’s influence over her family and friends.
Martha talks to Ryan about a list of potential properties in Middleton to re-develop. Ryan is wary, but Martha seems very gung-ho on giving their town a facelift. Later at the cafe, Ryan tells Cassie about Martha’s plans. Ryan wants another chance to convince Cassie of the merits of the Keating house project. Cassie agrees to cook dinner at Grey house so that they can revisit the subject.
Grace confronts Abigail about not showing up at the coffeehouse like they had planned. Grace is upset about having lied the night before, but Abigail tells her that if she wants to break the rules she will have to deal with feeling guilty from time to time.
Nick is shooting baskets when Sam approaches him. Nick asks to be grounded again when Sam tells him that he is going to ground both of them so that they can spend more time together. Later Nick and Grace meet up on the walk home from school and she apologizes for getting Nick in trouble. Nick reassures her that it is not a problem, and she is off the hook.
Sam talks to Abigail about his make up date with Stephanie, and tells her that he is nervous about cooking dinner for her. Abigail assures him that Stephanie is not coming for the food, and she offers to come over and help him put dinner together. Sam accepts her help.
Stephanie brings some soup by for Cassie at the shop. She mentions that Sam has not cancelled their date yet, and that she has never given a man so many chances. Stephanie thinks that Ryan is frustrated with Cassie and that he really likes her. Cassie deflects, uncomfortable with the conversation.
Abigail goes to the café to see Stephanie and tells her they need to talk. Stephanie passes by her and tells her she has a date – but Abigail asks her if it isn’t Sam’s turn to wait? Abigail tells Stephanie that she is not interested in Sam, and that if Sam really liked Stephanie, would Abigail be able to get in the way of that? She feels Stephanie deserves someone who is really into her.
Martha has a list of local properties that she would like to see torn down but Ryan is in disbelief. Martha confides that she is considering seeking a higher political office – the governorship. She states that big political gains come from economic development just like this!
Meanwhile, Cassie hears an alarm going off in Sam’s house and goes in to find Sam and Nick in the kitchen with smoking dishes that have set off the fire alarm! Just as she suspected might happen, Abigail just handed off a recipe to Sam and is not there helping at all. Cassie asks about the recipe and is dismayed that things went so awry. She brings over some new ingredients from Grey House and they work on putting together a new dinner for Sam’s date with Stephanie. Sam thanks her and talks a little about his divorce, and how he and his ex-wife wanted different things. Stephanie arrives and the two share dinner. She is a fan of Sam’s carrots that are half peeled and half cooked. Sam is happy she is there and they enjoy their meal.
Lori is at the Eagle office researching Abigail online. She is definitely concerned with her motives. Later on at Grey house, Lori assures Grace that she can confide in her, and that she knows Grace lied about being at the library. Grace is sorry and disappointed in herself. Later, Lori finds Abigail downtown and tells her that she discovered Abigail is in fact telling the truth about her job and having an apartment in New York. Lori wants to know why Abigail was so unreliable when she was growing up. Abigail changes the subject.
Over dinner, Ryan tells Cassie about Martha being on a path of trying to demolish a lot of Middleton in favor of building anew. Ryan wants help and Cassie advises him that if Martha won’t listen to him, she thinks she knows who will.
At home, Grace confides in Cassie that she lied about where she was the prior evening. Cassie tells her that she knew the truth in her heart. Grace is sorry, and Cassie comforts her. Grace shares that Nick was surprisingly nice to her.
Martha confronts Ryan at the café – he talked to his developer and convinced him to take his business to Blairsville. Martha is upset, but Ryan assures her that this is the right path for them both and the community.
The next morning, Grace accidentally steps on Jake’s compass and cuts her foot on the glass. Cassie takes a look at the injury, and they decide for Grace to see Sam for a closer look. Grace tells Sam that she wanted to come over, and confesses that Nick actually helped Grace to get home safely the night they were both missing. Sam seems reluctant to believe her, yet he is relieved.
Abigail returns to Grey house and Cassie comments that she is looking quite satisfied. Abigail says that she has helped quite a bit, showing Grace that being a rebel is more fun in theory than in practice, and that Lori is renewed in her role as Grace’s big sister and protector. She finally mentions that she left Sam on his own with dinner so that Cassie could step in. She knows that Stephanie is not right for Sam, and that Cassie does not belong with Ryan. Cassie looks flustered, and tells Abigail that fate cannot be forced. Finally, Abigail shares that Stephanie has hired her at the café – she won’t be returning to New York after all.
Sam is trying to come up with a new solution for Nick’s behavior. Sam wants to help him try to make better choices. He wants to know why Nick did not tell him about helping Grace. Sam thinks his dad would not have believed him because he just thinks he is a bad kid. Sam wants to start over, to meet halfway.
At Grey House, Ryan shares the good news about Keating House. He thanks Cassie for pointing him in the right direction. He asks Cassie out for dinner again and she agrees. He states that these last two dinners together have felt different, and Cassie concurs.
Sam is playing guitar at home when Cassie visits to pick up her dishes from the dinner. She tells Sam that Stephanie called and had a really nice time. Sam is grateful for Cassie’s help in pulling off the evening. Sam gets a call and it is his ex-wife. She’s about to pay Middleton a visit.