Noah talked to his Army recruiter at the Military Entrance Processing Station about what to expect once he enlisted and he seemed excited at the prospect of joining. As Noah finished his conversation he looked across the street and saw that Luke had followed him. Luke yelled out to Noah, but Noah was concerned the sergeant would realize Luke was his boyfriend and asked Luke to meet him later outside his hotel so they could talk.

When the two finally met up, Luke immediately tried to convince Noah that joining the Army was not the right choice for a gay man. He went on to say that Noah was only enlisting to fulfill his father's dream and Luke tried to persuade Noah to change his mind. Noah listened, but told Luke he had made his decision, and walked away.

Back in his room, Noah packed his things and got ready to leave for base and his final interview. Just as he finished, Luke snuck into Noah's room and told him he needed to finish their conversation. Fearing he would get in trouble, Noah begged Luke to go, but Luke refused to leave without once again trying to convince Noah not to join the Army. Noah said the Army's policy of "Don't ask, don't tell" did not bother him and Luke admitted he was scared something would happen to Noah. Noah tried to reassure his boyfriend he would be fine and hugged Luke to comfort him. A knock at the door by the recruiter sent Noah into a panic, but Noah had no choice but to open the door. The recruiter wanted to know who Luke was and he quickly introduced himself as Noah's boyfriend. The sergeant asked if Noah had invited Luke up to his room and Luke said Noah had not. With that, the recruiter asked Luke to leave, but before he would go, Luke told Noah he loved him. Once outside the hotel, Luke saw Noah get into a van. Luke started to bang on the window and begged him to stay. The driver pulled away and left Luke alone on the sidewalk.

Noah went for his final interview before joining the Army and the recruiter asked Noah if he had anything else he wanted to mention before taking his oath. Noah felt compelled to tell the sergeant he was gay. The man explained he had not heard Noah's confession and who he slept with was no one's business. He went on to tell Noah that if he put down that Noah was gay in his file, it may preclude him from joining the military. Noah understood, but did not retract his statement.

Luke returned to the farm and told his mom about Noah leaving for the Army. Lily assured Luke that Noah would return home someday and they could be a couple again. Luke heard something outside and when he went to see what it was, he was overjoyed to find Noah had decided not to join the Army and had returned to Oakdale.

At the Lakeview, Jack and Janet laid in bed after a passionate night together. Janet was feeling frisky and wanted to have another go round with Jack, but he darted from the bed, leaving Janet alone. Jack explained he had overslept and forgotten to pick up Parker. He said he had to go and check on his son and Janet wanted to tag along. Jack did not want Janet to go and told her he wanted to keep their relationship quiet. Janet wanted some reassurance that Jack had a good time and would be calling, but all Jack could offer was a quick kiss and a thank you.

Jack showed up at the tennis court to apologize to Parker for not picking him up that morning. Parker accepted his dad's apology and asked his dad why he was so late. Jack lied and said he got caught up in a case. Moments later, Janet arrived and told Liberty she had overslept. Liberty knew her mom was lying and was sure Jack and Janet had slept together. Liberty kept pestering Janet until she finally admitted that something might be going on between her and Jack. Jack walked over to say goodbye and Janet invited Jack to breakfast. He begrudgingly accepted and the two left. Liberty immediately told Parker that Jack and Janet were lovers. Parker was not thrilled with the idea of Jack and Janet as a couple.

Jack and Janet went to the Lakeview for breakfast, but they soon made their way up to Janet's room to retrieve Jack's wallet from the night before. Janet wanted Jack to stay, but Jack explained he was not ready for a girlfriend and thought they were just having fun when they slept together. Janet convinced Jack to stay by stripping down and agreeing to a no-strings relationship.

At the Snyder farm, Holden was working on repairing a chair when he started to fantasize that Carly had arrived at the farm to seduce him. He was jolted back to reality when he slammed his thumb with the hammer. Lily heard Holden yell out and rushed inside to check on him. Holden explained he had hurt himself when his mind wondered and Lily got her husband some ice for his hand. Before Holden could get back to work he was interrupted by a knock at the door. A stylishly dressed British man said he had been touring the grounds and had been overwhelmed by the heat and needed a glass of water. Holden was happy to oblige, but wanted to know who the man on his property was. The man explained he was Mike's boss, Neal Stokes, and he owned the construction company that was working on the farm project. Lily and Holden welcomed him to Oakdale.

A few moments later, Carly arrived looking for Jack and was surprised to find Lily and Holden in the kitchen. She started to leave, but Neal asked her to stay. Lily introduced Carly and Neal, and he seemed very interested in Carly. Holden asked why Carly had come to the farm and she explained that she was worried about Jack. As Lily and Carly went upstairs to check if Jack had overslept, Neal said goodbye to the ladies. Once they were out of earshot, Neal asked Holden if Carly was single. Holden realized that Neal was attracted to Carly and tried to dodge the question, but Neal asked again and Holden was forced to admit Carly was not seeing anyone. Neal thanked Holden for the information and left.

The ladies returned to the kitchen without finding Jack, and Holden offered to call Carly if he heard from him. Lily remembered something Sage had left at the farm and offered to get it for Carly, leaving Carly and Holden alone to talk. Carly admitted she was worried about Jack, but Holden reassured her that Jack would be fine. Carly thanked Holden for his kind words, but as the two gazed into each other's eyes, they seemed to be thinking about their romantic night together and not about Jack. A moment later, Lily returned and then Carly received a reassuring call from Jack. She was relieved Jack was all right and began to leave. Holden walked out behind her and the two could not help but look at one another for a moment before Carly left.

Once Carly was gone, Lily remarked that Carly was still acting strange. Holden wanted Lily to believe that Carly had been worried about Jack, but Lily felt there was something more going on with Carly and she was sure it had to do with a man. Holden, knowing full well Carly was upset because of him, had heard enough and angrily insisted that Lily stop interfering in Carly's life and stormed out.

Holden returned later and asked Lily to forgive him for getting upset. Lily accepted his apology and the two shared a kiss. Lily insisted they needed to talk about Carly. Holden said he had enough to worry about with Meg's problems and Luke's losing Noah without thinking about Carly. Lily apologized for adding to Holden's troubles. She wanted to get his mind off everything and take him for a picnic, but Holden said he had a terrible headache and wanted to go back to the house to nap. Lily said she had some things to finish at the farm and she would see him later at home.

As Carly worked at Metro, Neal arrived and was embarrassed when he found Carly there alone. Neal explained that he believed Metro was a traditional pub where he could get a late breakfast, and thought it would be a great excuse to bump into Carly without looking eager. Neal wasted no time and asked Carly on a lunch date. Carly wanted to know why Neal assumed she was single and Neal explained that Holden had assured him that Carly was unattached. Carly was surprised that Holden said she was available and told Neal she had no interest in dating anyone. Neal insisted on giving Carly his number, and left.

Carly rushed out of Metro and immediately went to Holden's house. She criticized Holden for passing her off to another man. He tried to explain he had only told Neal she was single because he could not say anything else, but Carly was annoyed by Holden's interference. To prove to Holden she was ready to forget him and move on, she phoned Neal in front of him and left him a message accepting his invitation. Holden tried to talk to an emotional Carly, but Lily arrived home and wanted to know why Carly was so upset. Carly lied and said she realized Jack had met someone else and it was time for her to start dating.

Neal Stokes arrived at Carly's for their lunch date, and while he was waiting for her to get dressed, Jack surprised him by barging right in without knocking. The two got off to a rocky start, but Carly diffused the situation. Jack was there to deliver a letter from Sage at camp. Jack was furious to hear that Lily and Holden had set up the date and stormed out. Carly told Neal it felt strange to her to be dating again, and Neal revealed that he had lost his wife to breast cancer a couple of years earlier.

Holden and Lily were discussing Meg's upcoming marriage to Paul. Holden expressed concern for Meg, but Lily reminded him he had concerns closer to home-like her. They decided to go out for lunch and then stop by the farm to see Meg. Jack arrived, however, and chewed out Lily for setting up his ex with a guy with a funny accent. Lily accused Jack of being jealous and told Holden to talk some sense into his cousin. Holden refused, however, and Lily continued to defend Carly.

Mike found Barbara eating breakfast at the Lakeview and approached her with his concern for Sofie. Barbara told him Sofie was "long gone," but Mike was not convinced. She told him the situation was "handled." Mike went to Barbara's office and asked her assistant Kelly if Sofie had left behind any of her personal effects, and Kelly retrieved a cardboard box, which she gave to Mike. In the box, Mike found one of Sofie's special earrings that she had made, along with a notebook with a paper with Cole's phone number on it. Mike called Cole and asked if he knew where Sofie had gone, but Cole brushed him off. Mike called back and explained that Sofie had disappeared. Cole told him not to worry, that Sofie was a hustler and could take care of herself. He suggested that the girl had scammed Mike and that he had better count the money in his wallet.

Meg woke up at Fairwinds to find Paul cleaning up after planting some new rose bushes in the garden. She realized the plants were just over the site where Paul had buried Sofie, and that was disturbing to her. Meg began to have second thoughts about keeping Sofie's death a secret and suggested they go to the police and tell the truth. Paul disagreed; he felt nothing would bring Sofie back and that they needed to keep under the radar. Meg was still upset that Paul could ever think she could murder someone. Paul said he would do whatever Meg thought was best, even if it meant going to the police. Meg asked Paul if he thought it was possible that Sofie injected herself so that Paul would find and "save" her, but Paul rejected that. Suddenly Barbara burst in with the news that Sofie had left town and all their problems were solved.

Barbara told Paul and Meg that there was no longer anything standing in the way of their happiness and that she had made all the arrangements for an immediate wedding. She had even found the perfect spot for the ceremony, where Paul had planted some beautiful rose bushes. Barbara left to complete the arrangements and escort the judge she had brought out to the garden. When she left, both Meg and Paul had the thought that perhaps Barbara could have been the one who had injected Sofie with the lethal dose. Meg wondered if Barbara could destroy her own grandchild, but Paul believed that Barbara had no feelings for that fetus and could do the deed. They began to dress for the ceremony.

Carly and Neal finished their lunch, and Neal refused to be put off by Carly's low opinion of her life. He took her home but declined to come in because of work issues. He enthusiastically promised he would call her soon. Carly got a surprise when she walked into her living room and found Jack. The two of them argued again, and Carly told Jack he did not know her anymore and to stop suffocating her. A sad Jack walked out.

Paul confronted his mother by asking her at what price their happiness came. He was sure that Barbara had killed Sofie. The wedding participants gathered in the garden, and the judge was about to begin the ceremony when Mike joined them, babbling about Sofie's disappearance. He urged Meg to reconsider her marriage and told the two of them they were making a big mistake.

Neal, on his way back to the construction site, stopped in at the farmhouse to thank Lily and Holden for setting up his date with Carly. He was obviously enamored of Carly and told Holden that Jack must have been crazy to have walked away from a woman like her. Lily questioned Neal about his future plans with Carly, and on the spur of the moment, offered to host one of her small dinner parties for the four of them. Holden was not pleased about it, but Lily did not understand his reasons.

Paul and Meg's wedding began with Mike's leaving in disgust. Meg was totally focused on the rose bushes and what lay beneath as the minister spoke. As Mike was walking, he spotted, on a bush, the match to Sofie's earring that he had found in the box of her belongings.

Emily finished up her workday and was considering how she would spend her evening when she got a call from Casey. Emily reminded Casey that she had ended their relationship, but Casey tried to persuade her to see him. Emily hung up on Casey, but he was still talking when Margo came home and overheard his end of the conversation. Margo asked Casey who he was talking to on the phone, but then said she knew he was on the phone with Emily. Casey tried to convince his mom that he was just friends with Emily, but Margo was not swayed. Margo told Casey that she would tell Tom about his "friendship" with Emily if he did not put a stop to it. Just as Casey was going to respond, Tom arrived home. In an attempt to avoid upsetting Tom, Margo lied about what they were talking about. Tom was too preoccupied to argue with his wife and son, and told Margo that he had planned a surprise getaway for them to celebrate their anniversary. Margo quickly remarked that she could not go. Tom told his wife that he had cleared her taking the day off with the station and they had nothing to keep them in town. Casey realized his mom's concerns were not about work, but were because she did not trust him. In an attempt to get Margo to go with Tom, Casey promised her she did not have to worry about him. Casey left and told Tom to persuade Margo to go.

Alone with Margo, Tom explained that the night away was about them having time as a couple, and with that she finally agreed to go. With her next breath, Margo began to question why Casey had not told them where he was going and Tom threw up his arms and said there was no place he could take her where she would not be focused on Casey. As Tom prepared to walk out, Margo tried to stop him. She asked him why Casey would spend time with Emily, and Tom remarked that Emily did not constantly monitor Casey. Tom told Margo that Emily could not destroy their family and Margo thought about it and finally gave in and agreed to go with him. Tom was overjoyed that his wife's attitude had changed and they prepared to leave.

Back at her office, Emily tried to find someone to have dinner with, but was unable to make plans. As she sat daydreaming in her office, Casey arrived and told Emily he wanted to be with her and was not going to let her go just because she was afraid of Margo. Emily defended her choice to end their relationship to keep Margo from telling everyone she was a prostitute. Casey said he would follow any rules Emily set up to keep their relationship secret, but he did not want to lose her. Emily did not think there was any way to keep Margo from finding out. Casey explained they at least had that night to spend together, since Tom and Margo were going out of town. Emily would not change her mind, so frustrated, Casey walked out.

After seeing Emily, Casey returned home and discovered his parents were packed and ready to leave for their romantic night away. Casey said he would settle in that night with a pizza and told his parents to have fun. A short time after his parents left, Casey was shocked to see Emily on his porch. She questioned out loud why she was there, but Casey told her he was happy she had decided to come and pulled her inside with a kiss. In the house, Casey convinced Emily that they should rekindle their relationship and focus on what they had in the present and not the future. Casey wanted to stop talking and make love, and Emily gave in. Unknown to Casey and Emily, Tom had received a call from a client and he and Margo were on their way back to Oakdale.

Stripped down in their underwear in the Hugheses' living room, Emily remarked she was hungry and sent Casey upstairs while she prepared a tray of food for them to share in bed. Just as Emily was getting everything set up, Margo returned home and pulled her gun on Emily. She said Emily was an intruder in her home and she was going to protect her son any way she had to.

In the gardens at Fairwinds, the judge asked Meg if she would take Paul as her husband and after a short pause she smiled and answered, "Yes." Paul and Meg shared their first kiss as man and wife, just yards away from where Paul had buried Sofie. Barbara invited the two into the house to share a glass of champagne, but before they went inside Paul promised to love Meg forever. As they began to kiss again, Mike walked over and told Paul he needed to talk to him. Despite Paul and Meg's refusal to listen, Mike insisted that he speak with Paul. Mike held up a piece of jewelry he knew belonged to Sofie and told Paul that he had just found it in his garden, and pointed to the area where Paul had disposed of Sofie. Paul gave Meg a knowing glance and then dismissed Mike's suspicions by saying Sofie had created a lot of her jewelry in the gardens at Fairwinds. Paul's explanation did not end Mike's concerns for Sofie, but he wished Meg well, and left.

Once Mike was out of earshot, Meg immediately turned to Paul and asked him if Sofie was wearing the bracelet the night she died. Paul begged Meg to let him handle everything, but she was not excited about starting their future lying to everyone about a murder. In the house, Meg again told Paul that she did not know if she could keep up the deception, but Paul explained that things would get easier in time. He reminded Meg that they were not guilty of Sofie's murder. He promised Meg she would be happy again someday. Barbara returned to toast the happy couple before leaving for the night.

Once Barbara had gone, Paul swept Meg into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. In bed, Paul sensed Meg was still not all right. Paul said they could move past Sofie's death as a couple. Meg said she agreed to marry Paul, but did not know if she could cover up Sofie's murder. Paul just wanted the two to start their life together and Meg agreed. With Meg's mind cleared, the two began kissing.

Out in the garden, Mike was still not convinced that Paul had told him the truth about the bracelet and began to look around for evidence of what happened to Sofie. Mike found the freshly planted rose bushes and thought it was strange that Paul had worked in the garden the day of his wedding. He went back to the Lakeview and asked Lisa if there was any news of Sofie. Lisa said that Sofie was just a manipulative little woman who snuck out of town when things got too chaotic. Mike continued looking for an answer and found the maid who worked in Sofie's room. She told Mike that there was nothing weird about the night Sofie left, except that Paul Ryan was there. Mike was more convinced then ever that Paul was involved in Sofie's vanishing.

After making love to Paul, Meg snuck out to the garden. She was surprised to find Mike had returned again and was looking around. Mike asked Meg why she was back in the yard, but Meg was more astonished that Mike was there and demanded to know what he was doing. Mike explained that he was trying to find out what happened to Sofie, but Meg could not understand why Mike was so interested in Sofie's disappearance. Mike said Sofie was pregnant and scared, and she would not just leave town. Mike detailed his suspicions to Meg and told her she was too good of a person to be involved in hurting Sofie. Meg noticed dirt on Mike's hand and told Mike they were done talking. She quickly went inside and woke Paul to tell him that Mike was in the rose garden. Paul went to search for Mike, but came back and told Meg that Mike must have left when she came to get him. Meg realized that the only reason Mike would have left was because he had another plan and she was right. Mike had gone to the police station to talk to Jack.

Jack returned to the Oakdale Police Department and found Mike waiting for him. Mike reported the alleged murder of Sofie Duran, but Jack was hard to convince. The fact that Sofie was pregnant was news to Jack, and he tried to reason with Mike that he had to have some evidence before he could get a warrant to search Fairwinds where Mike thought Paul had buried the girl. The earring Mike had found was not sufficient proof.

On their wedding evening, Meg and Paul worried about what Mike might have found in their garden. Meg felt guilty, and Paul tried to comfort her. The maid surprised them when she announced that the police were there in the form of Jack and Mike. Jack began asking questions about Sofie and her disappearance, and Paul broke the news that he and Meg had been married that afternoon. Jack was confused as to why Meg had not told the Snyder family, while Paul verbally sparred with Mike. Jack asked permission to search the garden, but Paul refused. Jack threatened to return with a search warrant, and he and Mike left to get one.

At the Hugheses' house, Margo held Emily at gunpoint in her kitchen. Casey ran in and tried to reason with his mother, to no avail. Tom arrived and was stunned to see the situation but he was successful in talking Margo into giving up the gun. Casey tried to explain the circumstances, but Margo was furious. She called Emily a whore, which angered Casey. Tom asked Margo not to call names, but Margo said it was true, and that Emily was a whore and a hooker. Tom questioned Emily who admitted that, for a short time, she had been those things. Margo asked Casey if he were paying Emily for sex, which he denied. Tom ordered Emily to get dressed and get out. He forbade her to ever see their son, Daniel, again. Emily left and when Casey tried to follow her, his father physically restrained him. Father and son wrestled for control, and Tom accused Casey of acting more like a child than an adult. Casey shouted at his parents that he knew all about Emily's past and that he respected her more than he did his parents. He made the choice to be with Emily and stormed out.

Emily went to her Intruder office and was surprised by a visit from Susan. Emily broke down and told her mother about her affair with Casey. Her mother was horrified that Emily was sleeping with someone as young as Casey and asked Emily if she had considered the consequences of her actions. Casey burst in and Susan ordered him out. Emily also asked him to leave and told him they were done. Reluctantly, Casey left.

Paul suggested to Meg that he move Sofie's body so that Jack would find nothing in the rose garden. Meanwhile, he asked her to go see Barbara who they thought actually murdered Sofie. Meg went to Barbara's and explained that Paul might soon be arrested for the murder of Sofie Duran. She told her mother-in-law the circumstances of the lethal injection and that Paul had buried the girl at Fairwinds. She said Paul was willing to confess, and that it was time for Barbara to tell the truth. Barbara was confused until she suddenly realized that Meg and Paul thought she had committed the crime. Meg believed her when Barbara denied it, and Meg realized they had to stop Paul from admitting to the crime just to protect his mother.

Tom was very upset when he realized that Margo knew all along about Emily's checkered past. He was determined to keep Emily from Daniel, and he was also angered that Margo had made it almost impossible for Casey to come home.

Jack was unsuccessful in obtaining a search warrant for Fairwinds, but he and Mike left the police station and headed back to interview Paul again. Paul had removed Sofie from her rosy grave and had just placed her into his car trunk when the two interrupted him. Jack arrested Paul on the spot, and when Barbara and Meg arrived, Mike tried to intercept Meg from seeing the body. Paul asked Meg to continue to trust him.

Casey came home and silently packed a bag and left again. Margo threatened to kill Emily if Emily took her son from her, a statement that obviously worried Tom.

Meg and Barbara followed Jack and Paul to the police station and Meg verbally attacked Mike. Jack questioned Paul who continued to deny he had killed the girl.

After school, Parker rushed off as soon as he saw Liberty. When Brad and Katie arrived to pick up Liberty, she told them Parker didn't want to talk to her since Jack and Janet had hooked up. Brad was stunned and angry to hear that Jack and Janet were having sex.

Brad asked Katie to take Liberty home while he went to find Jack. Liberty told Katie that Parker thought the situation meant they couldn't have a relationship. Katie wondered whether Liberty and Parker had kissed, and Liberty said, "What if we have?" Katie said then they would have a problem, because Parker was younger than Liberty.

Katie told Liberty why she thought it would be a bad idea for Parker and Liberty to have more than a friendly relationship, but Liberty pointed out that if the adults in Parker and Liberty's lives could manage to stop sleeping with the stepmoms or ex-wives or brothers, things would be a lot easier.

Jack ate pie at Al's with Janet, who assured him she knew their relationship was casual. Janet made Jack laugh, and he kissed her. Parker went to Al's and spotted his dad and Janet talking. When Janet waved to Parker, he rushed off. Jack tried to follow Parker, but he had disappeared. Jack went back into the diner, but Brad arrived and said he needed to talk to Jack outside. Outside, Brad told Jack he knew Jack had slept with Janet and that he was making a big mistake.

Brad told Jack that he had found out from Liberty, and that both Liberty and Parker knew about it. He said he didn't know which was worse: Janet treating Liberty like a "gal pal" and talking about her dating life, or Jack trying to hide his relationship with Janet. Brad accused Jack of being just like their mother, sneaking around pretending to be something he wasn't. Brad left, still angry at Jack.

Jack went back into the diner and asked Janet why she'd told Liberty about them sleeping together. Janet claimed she hadn't, but she pointed out that Liberty was a smart girl and had probably figured it out on her own. Janet didn't understand why that was a big deal, but Jack said he hadn't wanted Parker to know about his relationship with Janet. Jack excused himself and left the diner.

Liberty climbed up to the second floor of Carly's house and climbed in through Parker's window, but he wasn't in his room. However, she heard Jack come in and call Parker's name, and Parker answered from downstairs. Jack sat down with Parker to talk about the fact that Jack was seeing Janet. Jack told Parker it was no big deal, but Parker pointed out what a big deal Jack had made about him kissing Liberty. Parker said that kissing someone was much less of a big deal than having sex with someone.

Jack said of course, sex was a big deal, but he and Janet were being responsible and both knew what they wanted out of the relationship. He tried to let Parker know that while neither he nor Janet was looking to get married, Jack respected Janet and wasn't going to do anything to hurt her or their kids. Parker asked what would happen when Jack broke up with Janet, because that could affect him and Liberty. Jack said at Parker's age, he and Liberty might not even be talking to one another in a few more weeks. Parker said he hated hearing references to "at your age," and he wanted to be grown up and able to live his own life for a change. Jack told him not to be in such a hurry, and he went to warm up dinner for Parker.

Brad went home and told Katie he had shoved Jack around a little, but he didn't think Jack was going to stop seeing Janet. Brad said Janet should be setting a good example for her daughter. Katie said Janet was Liberty's mother, and there was nothing they could do about it, but Brad said they could get rid of Janet.

Brad and Katie went to the diner to talk to Janet. Brad began by saying he and Katie appreciated Janet's help in getting Liberty transitioned to becoming part of their family. Brad then said they thought that since Liberty was settled in, Janet should move on with her life. Janet said she was doing that and was really enjoying herself, but she saw the looks on Brad and Katie's faces and realized Brad was upset about her and Jack.

Janet said her relationship with Jack was just about sex, and Brad said that was the problem, because Janet needed to set a good example for Liberty. Janet pointed out that she had raised Liberty on her own, so she was angry that Brad was implying that she suddenly wasn't good enough for her own daughter. When Brad said he could no longer pay for Janet's room at the Lakeview, Janet said she could see that Brad and Katie wanted her to leave town, and if that was what they wanted, she would leave.

Janet called Liberty, who was still in Parker's room. Liberty turned off her phone when it rang, so Janet left a message asking her to call as soon as possible. Janet then called Jack and asked if he had seen Liberty. He said no and asked if Janet had been crying. Janet admitted she had, and she told him Brad and Katie had asked her to leave town.

Parker went to his room and found Liberty there. Liberty said she knew Parker didn't want to talk, but she did. She told Parker that no matter what happened with their parents, she didn't want Parker to break up with her. Liberty said their dysfunctional parents had nothing to do with whether or not they were together. Parker asked why they were together and whether Liberty even liked him. She told him to come sit next to her and find out. When he did, she kissed him.

Jack went to Janet's hotel room, where she was busy packing. She told Jack she had nowhere she could afford to live in Oakdale that would be decent and safe enough for Liberty. Jack told Janet she could go to the farm with him; she said that would be terrific for one night, but Jack said, "To stay."

Lily and Carly talked on the phone before Lily's dinner party. Lily encouraged Carly to relax and enjoy her dinner date with Neal. Carly hung up the phone when her doorbell rang, but it was Holden, not Neal. Holden told Carly to make up some excuse not to come to dinner, because he didn't know how he and Carly could make it through the dinner party without Lily seeing how they felt about one another. Carly said it would seem really strange to Lily if she suddenly canceled. Holden finally told Carly to do what she had to do, and he left.

Neal arrived, bringing an orchid for Carly, He could tell she was upset about something, but Carly said it had nothing to do with him. Neal assured Carly that he could make her forget her worries at the dinner.

At Lily and Holden's, Neal told Lily that Carly had mentioned the stables they had. He said he also bred horses, polo ponies in Argentina. Holden said he had no respect for polo or anyone who played it. Neal said he played and asked if that meant Holden had no respect for him. Holden agreed that it did. Holden then went off on a rant about how abusive the sport of polo was. Carly interrupted and told Lily she had just remembered that she had to be at Metro, so she and Neal excused themselves and left after thanking Lily for inviting them.

Lily angrily asked Holden what had gotten into him, and Holden said Neal had started it. Lily wondered why Holden had taken such an immediate dislike to Neal, until she realized it was because Neal was dating Carly. Lily accused Holden of acting on Jack's behalf, because any man with an accent reminded Jack of Simon, and Jack didn't want Carly getting involved with someone like that again. Holden apologized, and Lily told him to go apologize to Carly and Neal, because he had embarrassed Carly.

Carly took Neal to Metro to have dinner and drinks. Neal asked if Holden was always such a hothead, and Carly said Holden had a lot on his mind recently. She told Neal that Oakdale was a small town, where everyone knew everyone else's business. She said she wished she could get away while two of her kids were at camp. Carly said Jack could watch Parker and Henry could watch Metro, and she could perhaps go to Montana.

Neal invited Carly to go to Paris with him for two weeks. He said he had to go to Paris for business, so he would be busy a lot of the time, but Carly could stay in an extra room in his flat, and she could shop and visit museums while he was working. Neal told her that things would either develop between them or not, and if not, they would part as friends.

Holden walked into Metro and apologized to Neal and Carly for his remarks. He told Neal he had a lot on his mind and had taken it out on him. Neal accepted Holden's apology, and Carly told Neal that he should go make his phone call. Neal said, "Splendid!" and left to make arrangements for the trip to Paris.

Holden asked what that was about, and Carly told him she was going to Paris with Neal. Holden asked why, considering Carly barely knew Neal. She said because of the way Holden had acted, it was obvious they needed some time and distance between them. Neal walked up and asked if everything was okay; Holden walked off, obviously upset, and Neal told Carly it almost appeared as though Holden was jealous.

Carly told Neal that Holden was related to her ex-husband and that the Snyder men were very possessive. Neal said they should leave soon, then, before Holden could get Carly to change her mind.

Holden returned home and told Lily about the planned trip to Paris. Lily was excited and said Carly must really like Neal. She asked Holden why he wasn't happy for Carly, but Holden said he didn't want to talk about it. Holden took Lily and kissed her, saying, "This is what I want."