Episode 6845

Extended Summary

Alf, Leah and Ryder are all downstairs as Hunter and Jennifer appear. Alf notes they haven’t got bags and Jennifer admits they were hoping he’d calmed down. Ryder’s mock-scolding interjections don’t help but Leah takes Alf round the patio for a chat. She agrees the pair have done wrong but doesn’t think they can throw them out when they have nowhere to go. She suggests giving Hunter a van but Alf says more privacy won’t help. He suggests one of them stay at Irene’s but Leah doesn’t think that’s fair on Olivia. They conclude the only solution is to call Jennifer’s dad. They head back inside, explain their decision and remind Jennifer she wasn’t meant to be there permanently. They wonder if there’s a reason she doesn’t want to go home but Jennifer says her dad’s just annoying. However, she doesn’t think he’ll answer the phone if it’s to do with her. After everyone else has gone, Ryder asks Alf for $50 for his date with Coco. After grumbling, Alf hands it over.

Working late at the garage, Justin asks Ash to hand him a spanner and Ash complies, also confirming he told the customer the car wouldn’t be ready until after the weekend. Justin tries to make conversation by asking about Dean but only gets a brief response. Justin decides to call it a night and, despite having Ava there, invites Ash back to his for a beer. Ash declines and Justin says he’ll see him on Monday. Justin heads to the Diner but finds Irene, Marilyn and John outside, having locked up. He says he’ll have to get pizza and explains he was held up at work. Irene says Ash hasn’t been answering her calls and Justin says he isn’t answering anyone. He notes the only person Ash has been spending time with is Dean, and now he’s in hospital there’s no-one.

Next morning, Alf and Leah run into each other near the Diner. Leah says that Jennifer was right and Nick is ignoring her voicemails, reflecting she’d answer if it was about VJ. Irene and Olivia arrive and Irene explains they stopped by to see Ash: He says he’s all right but she’s not convinced. Alf says to leave it with him. Ash is at the garage looking at an ultrasound photo when Alf, John and Justin turn up with beers and invite him to join them. Ash says he’s busy so they say they’ll start without him, setting up camp on a table nearby.

At the Diner, Ryder tells Coco and Raffy about what happened with Hunter and Jennifer the previous night; Raffy is amused but Coco looks uncomfortable. Ryder checks she’s still on for lunch and says he’ll meet her at one. After he’s gone, Coco admits to Raffy that she’s worried about what Ryder’s expecting and even tries to suggest Raffy join them. Raffy offers to help her get changed and to walk her there. At the caravan park house, Ryder asks Hunter and Jennifer what they think of his outfit. Hunter says it’s fine, with Jennifer suggesting if she went for guys that looked like him she’d go for it. After Ryder’s gone, Jennifer notes they have the place to themselves, suggesting Hunter was disappointed Alf interrupted them. Hunter suggests they talk, indicating there are problems. Jennifer tearfully says that she doesn’t blame him if he doesn’t want to spend time with her, since her dad doesn’t. Hunter hugs her.

Raffy is with Coco at Salt and reassures her that it isn’t that different to when she normally hangs out with Ryder. Ryder arrives and Raffy leaves them. Ryder tells Coco she looks beautiful. Coco says he does too; she amends it to nice but he says he’ll accept beautiful. He pulls out a chair for her and a server brings over some apparently pre-ordered mocktails. Ryder suggests oysters as an entrée, calling them the food of love. Later, as they finish eating, Ryder notes he doesn’t actually like oysters himself. He mentions their kiss and says they should make up for lost time, adding that he has a list of things for them to do. Coco, somewhat frantic, says she needs some air and hurries out.

Ash has joined the others for a bite to eat but refuses further beer. The others ask if he’s avoiding people and he says he’s just avoiding Robbo, reflecting that he lost his kid, Tori and his friendship with Justin because of him. However, he continues to insist he’s fine. At the Diner, Hunter checks with Jennifer that she’s feeling better. They join Leah at the counter and she says it’s on the house. Jennifer asks if she spoke to Nick and Leah admits it went to voicemail. Jennifer isn’t surprised and tells Hunter she’ll meet him outside. Leah quizzes Hunter who seems uncertain about Jennifer, saying the age gap became obvious when she moved in, but both of them dodge questions from Irene and Olivia.

Coco is sitting on the beach and tries to walk away when Ryder approaches. She eventually rambles that she’s not experienced and not ready for sex. Ryder is bewildered, saying he simply meant they hadn’t spent much time together while Maggie was ill and his list consisted of rock climbing and going to movies, with more kissing. He adds that he isn’t experienced either: She’s his first girlfriend and he’s happy to let her set the pace. She suggests a walk on the beach and takes his hand. Meanwhile, Olivia finds Hunter outside the surf club and wonders what he’s doing there. Hunter admits things have moved too fast with Jennifer. Olivia wonders if he used Jennifer to get over her and Hunter admits it’s crossed his mind. Olivia says that she’s made a lot of mistakes recently, but the biggest one was letting things go on.

John, Justin and Alf arrive back at the Diner and admit to Irene and Marilyn that they weren’t too successful. Justin wonders if he’s been too harsh on Ash, saying despite everything he’s done recently he’s a good bloke. Back at the garage, Ash is working under the car, trying to loosen a bolt. He hurts his hand and, in trying to pull himself out, causes the car to come down on top of him.

Hunter arrives home and tells Jennifer that they need to talk. He suggests that they’ve gone too fast, that he shouldn’t have gone into another relationship so quickly and that they were better off as friends. Jennifer initially tries to counter each point until Hunter says they’re not good together and he thinks they should break up. Jennifer is horrified. Back at the garage, Ash tries and fails to free himself and calls out for help.