Surprise Party
June 28

Birthday girl
The staff is planning a laid-back bonfire on the beach. Jason proposes he bring Nicole – after all, it is her birthday. MJ snorts that a bonfire hardly sounds like a rich girl’s idea of a good time. Nicole tells Jason she doesn’t think the staff really wants to hang out with her, and besides, she doesn’t want to celebrate this year. No one told Ava, Nicole’s celebutante best friend, who makes Paris Hilton look like a girl scout. She brings the whole party-hearty gang and proposes throwing Nicole a bash right at the hotel.

Guest relations
Nicole is apprehensive – she doesn’t want to rest of the staff to think she’s is a stuck-up rich girl. Maybe they should have the party at another hotel? Vincent quashes that. One of the reasons he hired Nicole is that she knew – and is related to – the rich and fabulous. Plus, he hopes the rest of the moneyed party crowd will follow Ava’s lead and come to the Grand Waimea. But he does agree that Nicole shouldn’t have to plan her own party. Instead, he’ll make Jason do that.

Vincent’s lawyer asks why he hired Nicole – her father wants to acquire the hotel, and how does he know Nicole isn’t rifling through his drawers looking for dirt? Because, the lawyer says darkly, there is dirt to be found. Vincent looks grave. He’s distracted when Tessa approaches him with an unusual request -- one of the guests wants a date with him. Much to her surprise, Vincent agrees. Turns out he and Maya, the mystery guest, know each other rather intimately. Alas, it can’t work – he’s married to the hotel, and she’s married to her jet-set life – and oh yeah, her husband.

The bet
Carter and Christy, members of Ava’s posse, speculate on Gabriel’s sexual orientation. They make a bet – whoever can seduce the lifeguard gets a plane ticket. Carter tries hitting on Gabriel, but is shot down. Christy is more subtle, asking for surf lessons and inviting Gabriel to the big party.

Slumming it
Ava and her posse invade the staff’s after-hours hangout, pronouncing at a total dive and therefore perfect. She pisses off MJ by assuming she’s a waitress all over the island, not just the hotel. She has no idea why MJ’s irked.

Trouble in paradise
Nicole gets uncomfortable when she sees Ava hitting on Jason, and tells her to back off. Ava ignores her, luring him up to her room to wrangle a rogue chameleon. When Jason tries to run away, she tells him Nicole gave her permission to pursue him. Jason is suddenly in no hurry to leave. Later, a drunken Ava crashes her car, knocking down a valet and almost flattening MJ. Nicole decides to confront Ava about this – she needs to go into rehab. Ava claims she’s going to -- right after this party.

Party on
Frankie and MJ get drafted to work Nicole’s party. Christy brings a designer-clad Gabriel, who she later jumps. Gabriel is a willing participant, but he’s shocked to discover she’s doing it (and him) to win the bet. He’s torn between feeling used and bragging about how he bagged a hot chick. Ava and Nicole are having a great time, until Ava disappears into the catering tent to indulge in some nose candy. MJ find her there, and refuses to serve her any more alcohol. Ava gets pushy and grabs her, so MJ socks her. Nicole sees everything. Ava demands Vincent fire MJ, but Nicole, covering for MJ says that Ava just slipped. MJ gets to keep her job.

The party’s over
Vincent goes back to Maya’s room, but she was called away on business. Tessa reveals that she investigated Maya, and she found out Maya used to work at the hotel and had a relationship with Vincent. Is she threatening him, hitting on him, or both? As the party winds down, Ava babbles about how the whole crew is going to their next luxury destination for a month. What about rehab, Nicole asks? What rehab, Ava answers. Nicole tells her she’s no longer part of Ava’s crowd, but that she’ll be there for Ava if she needs her. Nicole goes off to join the staff at the bonfire. MJ hands her a beer.