Jill packs up and tells Gary goodbye, but then returns and says her apartment isn't ready. Mac goes to the mountains and meets Forest Ranger Paula Vertosick. They hit it off, and he is flattered when she invites him to spend the night with her. Instead he goes home to Karen, who realizes she misses him. Paige finds the engagement ring, and assumes it's for her. She buys a bridal magazine and Karen asks if she's helping Greg and Abby plan their wedding. Paige is crushed. Greg tells her she misinterpreted their relationship, and is very cold to her. She decides to continue working for Greg. Abby plans the wedding with Ted, wanting it to be a media event. Greg and Abby hold a press conference to announce their marriage and his candidacy for mayor.

Both Abby and Karen are appointed to an Environmental Board, and argue whether to let Morikame drill for oil.Paige rents an executive apartment in the Sumner Group's name, and suggests to Greg they have an affair. Karen shows up at Mac's office in an overcoat and lingerie. She starts to do a striptease, then an old couple walks in, and she runs out, embarrassed. Michael and some friends go to a cabin for the weekend, and he is jealous when he sees Ellen and Johnny together. Later he talks over his women problems with a sympathetic park ranger, Paula. She tells him she'll be giving ecology lectures at his college. Olivia tells Abby she is going with Michael, but instead stays with Harold, who rejects her advances. He wants to wait until they are married. Val and Gary go out. Julie helps Frank and Pat make up after a fight.

Ellen thinks Michael is slacking off working on their computer program because he's jealous. She tells Johnny about the program. Michael introduces Karen to Paula. Paula agrees to help Karen with environmental reports, and Karen has her for dinner. Seeing Mac, Paula is uncomfortable.Ginny pushes Val to find herself a man. Ted tells Greg the President is going to appoint a new trade representative in Japan, and Greg wants Ted to get it for him. Greg wants to meet with Morikame about getting them oil permits, so Abby hires an actor to play Mr. Nogata. Paige hires Mr. Toya to verse Greg in Japanese business protocol. Paige takes an ""out of order"" sign off the elevator and Abby gets stuck for 2 hours. Later Abby tells Greg that he offended Nogata, and passed on his deal.

Michael and Ellen's professor tell them their program is plagiarized from a program donated by Greg, and puts them on probation. Greg tells Michael he bought it from Johnny. Michael tells Greg he is going to sue him. Paula admits to Michael she's in love with a married man, but doesn't tell him it's Mac. Paula and Karen go back to Lotus Point, but there's no sign of the oil drillers. Abby gives Nogata money to go back to Japan, but he blackmails her for more. Paige follows Nagata, and sees Ted give him a briefcase of money. She still follows, but loses him at a red light. Home, Paige sees on the news that Nagata was killed. Just then Ted comes by and tells her he was killed. Paige asks how he knew and he says he saw it on the TV in the lobby. Gary continues talking with Sally's friend. Ginny buys Val a computer, and hires Danny Waleska to teach her how to use it. He and Val go out to lunch.

On the way to the mountains, Karen breaks her ankle at a gas station. She has to stay overnight at the hospital. There is only 1 motel nearby, and she wants Mac and Paula to stay there. The motel only has 1 room with a twin bed, so Mac says he'll sleep in the truck. It starts pouring rain, and Mac has to change his flat tire. Then he is squirted by a skunk. Paige comes home to find her apartment trashed and Rick's key missing. Ted, who found out that Mort gave her Rick's letter and key, follows Paige and harasses her to help him. Scared of him, she runs to Greg's ranch, and Greg says he'll take care of Ted. Paige and Greg sleep together. She find's Rick's key in Greg's room as Greg wakes up. She's suddenly scared that he killed Rick, and runs out into the pouring rain. Greg comes out and yells at her to get inside. Ted is out there, and yells at her that what he told her about Greg being the murderer is true. Greg yells not to believe him. Paige hides.

Not knowing whether to trust Greg or Ted, Paige finally chooses Ted and has him bring her home. He wants her to give him the key, but she gives him a fake one. She finds out Rick had a cabin in Spring Lake, so she drives up there. The post office is closed, so she gets a hotel room. Ted also drives up to Spring Lake and waits in a bar for the post office to open. Greg shows up with a big goon, and demands Ted give him the key. Val doesn't believe Danny is sick when he cancels a date with her, so she brings him chicken soup. She's relieved to find out he really is sick. Gary continues to talk to Sally's friend. They agree to meet. While on the phone, Gary hears a man come in and Sally's friend yelling at him to leave, and then screaming ""NO!"" and a lot of noises. Then the phone goes dead.

Danny cries to Amanda that he loves her and doesn't want a divorce. Later he makes up with Val. Karen's friend asks her to sub for her on the TV show ""Open Mike"". Karen's surprised to find that Greg is the guest. Paula comes down to support Karen, and they make up. Paula and Greg argue and verbally spar, and decide to have lunch. Ginny was at Jeri's when she was killed. Mac and Frank don't think it was a suicide and find out Mark Baylor was in her building at the time. Mac thinks Mark killed Jeri. The coroner says she died from a blow to her head before the fall. Ginny is arrested for the murder.

Ginny's off the hook when the money is found in Baylor's apartment. Baylor asks Mac to defend him, and says Oakman is setting him up because they don't want their books made public. Going through Jeri's jewelry, Ginny finds the money. Greg gives Paige his biggest client - the Richfield account. Paige meets Tom Ryan. Greg brings Paula to a company party, but Paula accuses him of using her to make Paige jealous. Paige sees Tom at the party, and they flirt and make love in the elevator. Michael doesn't have a date, so Linda offers to go with him, and they pretend she is ""Theresa"". Later they realize they are very attracted to one another. Danny's upset as Amanda gets ready for a date with Gary. Gary asks Amanda to go away for a weekend, but not to tell Danny.

Paula tells Greg that she's tired of him only calling her as a diversion, so if he wants her he'll have to prove it. Michael helps Linda find an apartment. Eric comes to visit and tells Mike that Linda wants the divorce, but he wants to win her back. Michael tells Linda to work things out with Eric. At Michael's birthday party, Olivia and Harold fight and flirt with other's. Harold tells Olivia it was nice to talk with a woman who doesn't look down her nose at him. Olivia takes off her ring and leaves. Linda's upset and Karen tells her not to worry, she and Eric will work things out. Linda says she doesn't want Eric. She loves Michael. Val tells Karen she won't let another one of Gary's demented lovers ruin her life.