After his game, Rio goes to a bar with his team, still bothered by thoughts of Hallie on a date. He’s stunned to find Hallie working behind the bar. A teammate tries to set him up on a date, and Hallie assumes that Rio and the other woman are together. Rio follows Hallie to the bar, asks why she’s working there, and embarrasses her by offering to give her money. When a male coworker asks Hallie if she’s all right and puts his hand on her hip, Rio grows jealous and nearly starts a fight. Hallie pulls him outside, explains her financial struggles, and rejects his help. As the argument diffuses, Rio tells her that the coworker has no right to call her “Hal,” his nickname for her, because he doesn’t know her. Hallie explains that the coworker isn’t interested in her and was only trying to shield her.

The narrative moves back in time. After his varsity hockey game, 16-year-old Rio finds Hallie, who is going to babysit to add to her college savings instead of celebrating her 15th birthday that night. When Luke tries to avoid driving her to the babysitting job, Rio volunteers, giving them their first time alone in his truck. Hallie takes his hand during the drive. Overwhelmed, Rio pulls over, admits that she distracts him, and voices concern about Luke’s protectiveness. They agree to keep things secret and hold hands the rest of the way. Later, they meet on the roof for their birthday tradition, and Hallie gives Rio her annual mixtape, which is now a CD. The final track is the song from the truck ride. She explains that she added it because that moment was when she realized he might feel the same way about her.

The narrative returns to the present. Rio arranges for his mechanic to tow and repair Hallie’s car without telling her, fully expecting her to react with anger. Reflecting on their past, he reaches a revelation: Her anger is justified because he broke his promise to take her with him when he left their neighborhood, making her life harder. His quiet evening is interrupted when all eight of his friends arrive with their four children after a babysitter cancels. They need him to watch the children so that they can attend a dinner reservation, which is especially important to Miller, an award-winning pastry chef. After initially refusing, Rio is guilt-tripped into agreeing. Before leaving, Indy suggests that he ask Hallie for help.

After a brief talk with Wren and a video chat with her father, who’s happy that she and Rio are reconnecting, Hallie receives a text from Rio bribing her with homemade lattes to help him babysit. Before heading over, she discovers that he secretly had her car repaired. At Rio’s house, she helps settle the children with a movie. During a quiet moment in the kitchen, Rio admits that he hasn’t been in a serious relationship since they were together. Hallie confesses that their past love was real to her. They grow closer watching the movie, and Rio falls asleep on her. After the kids are picked up, Hallie tries to slip away without waking him, but Rio follows her outside, hugs her tightly, and admits to having missed her. They nearly kiss, but Hallie pulls back to protect their tentative friendship. Rio kisses her forehead instead, and, as she reaches her door, she turns and tells him she missed him, too.

The narrative moves back in time. At Hallie’s 16th birthday party, Rio feels guilty about hiding their relationship from Luke. His insecurity grows when a popular senior, Grant Newcastle, arrives and shows interest in Hallie. He’s further unsettled to learn that Luke would have been fine with her attending prom with Grant. After Grant’s friends turn the party into a drinking event, Rio leaves early out of jealousy. Later, Hallie climbs through his window, disappointed that he skipped their rooftop birthday tradition. During their talk, she assumes that they’re girlfriend and boyfriend, which he quickly and happily confirms. Rio asks her to play a song before initiating their first kiss, wanting to tie the moment to a song for her future mixtapes.

The narrative returns to the present. Following a post-game press conference, Rio feels an urgent need to see Hallie on his one night home after weeks away. Consumed by thoughts of their almost-kiss and his long-held feelings, he goes to the bar where she works, and the two fall into flirtatious conversation. Hallie admits that his flirting always worked on her. When she returns to work, Rio tells her that he’ll wait until her shift ends. When she asks why, he says simply that he missed her.

After her shift, Hallie finds Rio waiting to drive her home and is moved to discover that he has placed a blanket and pillow in his truck for her. At her request, they drive for hours, listening to music and reminiscing. When Rio walks her to her door, Hallie initiates a small kiss. He asks if she’s single and, when she confirms it, declares that they’re not friends and kisses her passionately. The moment breaks when Hallie suddenly recalls their past heartbreak. Sensing the shift, Rio stops but pleads with her not to overthink things. He gives her one last gentle kiss and leaves, telling her that he’ll see her in a couple of weeks.

At a design meeting, Hallie’s boss gives her a two-week deadline to finalize initial concepts for Rio’s renovation, but Rio insists that all decisions be made in person with her and playfully suggests she fly to him. When Hallie asks Tyler for an extension, he instead tells her to travel to Rio, citing the firm’s luxury service standard and offering to cover all expenses. When Hallie explains that she can’t go because she needs income from her bartending job, Tyler resolves this by offering to pay her overtime for the entire trip. Hallie agrees and informs Rio that she’s coming. Rio is pleased and promises to make the trip worth her time.