After an unfortunate set of misunderstandings, Grace and Cliff take a walk along the stables to discuss their relationship. A lot of stress has been heaped on them with Will’s sudden return, Grace’s request for more space, and Cliff’s hiring of an attractive new ranch hand. Grace insists that she has no interest in Will while Cliff insists that Alex is a qualified ranch hand and nothing more. And despite the stressful situation, their relationship is none the worse for wear.
Meanwhile, Jack is starting to feel the pressure of once again having a high-pressure deadline. Although he relishes the opportunity of having millions of people reading his work, he is unsure of his abilities and doubts that he is up to the challenge. For her part, Olivia does everything she can to encourage him and help him find the confidence in himself. But Jack does get a small pick me up when Eric, Shelly, and Adele stop in to The Chronicle. While he is still feeling the pressure, the visit with his baby granddaughter certainly lifts his spirits.
At the Thyme & Tide, Peggy finally gets the information she has been waiting for. After performing an extensive search, Roy confirms that the person sending Peggy flowers is indeed Colin McFadden. Roy tries to press for more information about the situation but Peggy insists that no one can know about what’s going on. And at Moon’s, Tony, the district attorney, sits and waits for Olivia. Olivia arrives and he immediately hands Olivia a bundle of money. It seems Tony isn’t as adept a poker player as he’d like to be and he owes Olivia. But poker winnings aside, it’s actually Olivia who needs a favor. Olivia reveals to Tony that Rebecca lied on her resume about attending Yale. And while Tony would be well within his rights to fire her, Olivia asks if she can handle the situation Rebecca.
Since their fight at the beach, Ian and Cecilia have been living separate lives. Ian has been staying in their home while Cecilia stays with Justine. When Cecilia stops at the house to grab a few things she finds Ian standing at a window starring into nothing. It’s then that Ian tells her that his deployment has been moved up and he will be leaving in the afternoon. He also tells her that he loves her but that they cannot keep living their life together. Cecilia is stunned, but it’s obvious they both know this is the end.
At the docks, Jack calls Olivia to cancel their date for the evening. Hoping to get some realism for his article, Jack thinks that heading to Seattle and talking to some people may give him the perspective he needs. Olivia again expresses her concern, but Jack insists that everything is fine.
In her chambers Olivia and Rebecca have yet another confrontation. This time, Olivia pins Rebecca down and forces her to admit that she lied on her resume. Rebecca again puts up her stern attitude, but this time, Olivia holds all the cards. But instead of fessing up to her mistake, Rebecca barges out of Olivia’s office and promptly resigns from the DA’s office. Sensing her talent, Olivia convinces Tony to reinstate Rebecca under strict probationary terms.
In a bar in Seattle, Jack stubbornly tries to concoct and idea for his story. As luck would have it, Jeri is at the same bar having drinks with the paper’s editorial staff. She cordially invites Jack to join in but he politely declines. And while it’s clear that he was thinking about taking her up on her offer, for now, his willpower is holding. But rebuffed once, Jeri decides to bring the party to Jack. Jack sits with the group as they continue to enjoy happy hour. As everyone leaves Jack confronts Jeri, asking what her end game is. She insists that despite their past, she respects his talents and only wants to see him succeed.
Back in Cedar Cove, Eric and Shelly stop in at the Captain's Galley for a bite to eat. As they head to their table they run into Warren and Rebecca, who are also there for lunch. Eric introduces Shelly to Warren and Rebecca then does his best to move on. But Warren insists that Eric and Shelly have lunch with he and Rebecca. Rebecca tries to help Eric out, but instead mentions that he and Shelly and Eric haven’t seen each other for a while and probably want some privacy. However that tiny slip of the tongue gives Shelly an inkling that things with Rebecca may be more than meets the eye.
In Olivia’s chambers Justine stops by for some motherly advice. Even though she still loves Seth, Justine can’t hide her feelings for Luke. Olivia does her best to help Justine, but in the end, all she can do is tell her to trust herself. Luke too has noticed Justine’s sudden emotional change. While she has tried to repeatedly avoid any contact with him, Luke finally confronts her. He again tries to kiss her and she again raises her hand to smack him. But this time he is ready and stops her short of making contact. He then embraces her and they share a mutual kiss.
Back at the ranch, Grace has spent the day fuming over Cliff’s new ranch hand Alex. Grace is jealous and feels that Cliff only hired Alex to spite her. And although Cliff is certain that Grace is the woman for him, the tension is making things uncomfortable for Alex. She decides to talk to Grace and do all she can to assuage her concerns. Although she desperately needs the job, Alex doesn’t want to come between Grace and Cliff. She offers to leave but instead Grace asks her to simple do one thing: wear longer shorts.
Back at the Thyme & Tide, the mysterious flowers keep arriving for Peggy. And even though Peggy brushes off mysterious situation, Bob is becoming suspicious. His suspicions only deepen when Peggy insists that Bob not get Roy to look into who’s sending the flowers. Bob lets his suspicions go for the time being, but that’s because he has good news. Bob ran into his old friend Colin McFadden and learned that Colin is moving back to Cedar Cove. Hearing Bob say that name shocks Peggy to her core. It now seems that her secret is surfacing right in her back yard.
As afternoon settles in, more revelations bubble to the surface. This time, as Shelly lies in Eric’s bed for a nap, her foot catches on a woman’s dress. Her suspicions now confirmed, Shelly goes to the office to confront Eric. While Eric sits at his desk, Shelly tosses the dress in Eric’s face and walks away with Adele. Eric chases after her, begging for forgiveness, and insisting that he still loves her. While she is angry, Shelly’s anger is not completely directed towards Eric. As they stare face-to-face Shelly reveals that she also met someone new.
As another day draws to a close, Olivia prepares to leave the courthouse. As she does, Rebecca enters, ready to admit her egregious mistake. After numerous attempts it appears that Olivia has finally cracked through Rebecca’s stern exterior. As an act of contrition Olivia demands that Rebecca report her transgression to the local bar, submit her real resume to the DA, and write a letter of apology to her boss. Olivia also informs Rebecca that it was she, Olivia, who advocated on her behalf. Olivia finishes by asking Rebecca why she lied, to which Rebecca responds, “I felt I had to.” Rebecca then asks Olivia why she helped her, to which Olivia responds, “I felt I had to.”
And finally back from Seattle, Jack sits at his laptop feverishly typing away. The trip seems to have done him a world of good and he has found his muse. Olivia calls him to check in and is relieved to hear that he’s feeling better and regained his confidence. She offers to bring him dinner but he passes saying he’s exhausted. They both say I love you and hang up the phone. And, as Jack closes his laptop, the half empty bottle of vodka sits next to him. He picks up his glass and takes one final drink before calling it a night.