Lauren and Aly host an outdoor family dinner on Aly's back deck, having spent the day decorating with white hydrangeas, candles, café lights, and gold-rimmed glassware. The late-season heat wave makes al fresco dining possible, and Lauren savors the seasonal beauty as autumn approaches.

The guests trickle in amid affectionate chaos: Ryan and his new boyfriend Ben (Ryan's former employee) bring beer and wine, Walter the dog plays with Aly's cats Fred and Maud, and Josh pleads unsuccessfully with Aly to let the cats join them outside. Lauren rescues Nic from the living room, where Fred and Maud have him pinned in an armchair, joking that the cats are plotting against him.

Over dinner, Taylor asks about Moira, and Nic explains she and Nico Senior are at couples counseling. Lauren reflects on the fallout from the last Trocci family dinner: Stefan has disappeared, Greg and Alec are threatening to leave home, and Nico Senior, while struggling, has begun genuinely asking about Nic's new life, hinting at slow progress.

Tyler arrives late with a date, Stella, a tall, tattooed, elegant woman who declines food due to sensitivities. Tyler treats her with uncharacteristic tenderness, surprising the group. Lauren internally references a secret she's keeping for Nic about their joint business venture with Tyler, hoping Aly and Josh will understand when it surfaces.

The dinner winds down with flirty banter between Lauren and Nic about driving home in his car, teasing from Aly and Ryan, and Josh redirecting the conversation by asking Tyler how he met Stella. After a meaningful look between them, Tyler admits it's a long story—setting up a future installment.