Early in the afternoon Grace and Olivia meet at the Captains Galley for lunch. As they eat, Grace shares the news about Maryellen and John’s engagement. Grace is worried they are moving to fast and that Maryellen might get hurt. When the conversation turns to Grace’s own wedding, Olivia urges Grace to ignore the differences between she and Cliff and see that their differences are what make them a good couple. Just as Grace nods her head in agreement, Paul drops by their table. Olivia tells Paul that she saw Anthony, and Paul confirms the news that he will be leaving Cedar Cove. Olivia wants to know why and feels Paul at least owes her an explanation. Paul won’t reveal his reasons, but he does invite her to go for a run later. She accepts, but she’s still intent on knowing why he is leaving Cedar Cove.
Poppy Summerall is hired near Halloween as a temporary nanny by Ryan Lawson, a widowed, work-obsessed executive. Through a series of adventures, the eternally optimistic Poppy sets out to teach Ryan and his two young children what’s important in life – unconditional love, family and the joy of everyday occurrences.
A fresh layer of snow covers the ground around Sam’s new lake house. Trudging through the snow, Sam and Cassie walk back to the house after a brisk hike in the wilderness. The scene is a vivid reminder of Sam’s childhood vacations in Montana. As they enter the house Cassie’s eyes are immediately drawn to a group of paint swatches hung on the wall. Sam explains that he always likes to start fresh when he moves into a new space. Sam then asks Cassie about her thoughts on John’s offer to join him on the dig in the Maldives. Cassie knows that the job is a great opportunity for adventure and she is seriously considering the opportunity. Silence follows and as they stare at each other, Cassie tries to break the tension by talking about Sam’s paint swatches. With his eyes still fixed on Cassie, Sam pulls her to him and kisses her deeply. The kiss stuns Cassie and she can only muster a nervous smile.
On a sunny afternoon, clad in hiking gear, John and Cassie prepare to repel off a cliff. Through all the years Cassie’s lived in Middleton, she’s never been to this hiking spot. John remarks that the trail is just one of the many surprises he’s discovered since moving to town. John feels an unseen force guided him to a rewarding teaching job, which has also given him the time to pursue an expedition to the Maldives. But while things are looking up for John, he’s got an important deadline that threatens to derail his upcoming dig. By the end of the week, John must name a field supervisor or lose the grant. With Cassie’s help, John’s poured over dozens of resumes and settled on two candidates. Since time is not on his side, John has decided to clear his head and spend the next few days camping. He hopes that the peace and quiet will help him come to a final decision about who will accompany him on the road ahead.
