Staten Kirkland rides his horse home from watching the sunrise. Staten was expecting his teenage son, Randall, to join him for a ride that morning, as it was their birthday tradition, but Randall was already out of the house. After showering, Staten joins the birthday celebrations at his brother-in-law’s, Davis Collin’s, house. Through Staten’s interactions with Quinn, we learn that his wife, Amalah, died two years ago. Staten’s relationship with Randall is not the best, and they almost get into an argument at the party. However, Randall’s cousin, Reid Collins, stops the father-son duo from getting into a heated argument when he calls him for his birthday present. Davis got Randall a brand-new car, but Staten is not happy. Later that night, Staten tries to get Randall to return the car the next morning, leading to Randall storming out and driving away. Staten is woken up by a call from the sheriff’s office telling him that Randall was in a car crash and died.
One year later, Quinn struggles to maintain her dance club while tending to her lander ranch. Quinn’s friend and a bartender at the club tried to push Quinn, a professional pianist, to play, but she declined. Later, Quinn is due to meet up with Staten at a high school football game. Before Staten arrives, Davis attempts to ask her out. Staten notices a memorial banner for his son during the match and abruptly leaves the game. During the game, we are introduced to Lucas Russell. He is seemingly an outcast at school and in a secret relationship with a cheerleader, Lauren Brigman. Lauren is Reid’s ex-girlfriend, and Reid seems to be in denial about their split. After the game, Lauren and Lucas secretly kiss, and we learn that they have been hooking up for months. Elsewhere, Davis is on a call with Austin Water & Power, a company is looking to build a pipeline throughout the town. Although the city has approved their plan, two ranch owners, Staten and Cap Fuller, do not agree to lease their land. Davis is desperate as he depends on the money to save his ranch from falling further into debt.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Brigman rides a mysterious man into the Fuller ranch. His name is Yancy Grey, and he is the new foreman hired to help at Cap Fuller’s ranch. During the ride, Sheriff Brigman tries to get to know Yancy better, but is not forthcoming with information about himself. Cap shows Yancy to his room in the horse stables, where he meets Ellie. It turns out that Ellie’s father and Cap were close friends, and Ellie checks up on the old man now and then to bring him medications. Yancy’s motive becomes unclear when Ellie finds a newspaper clipping about the Fuller ranch inside one of his books. Lucas’s older brother, Kit, drops him off at school the following day. Lauren and her best friend Ashley are excited to learn that a UT scout was at the game, and they are invited to a cheerleading clinic in Austin. Lauren’s dream is to leave the town and get away from her alcoholic mother and controlling father.
Back at Quinn’s house, Staten helps her fix her tractor. Later, Davis shows up at Staten’s house, trying to convince him to agree to the pipeline deal. Staten is still strictly against the idea that the pipeline will dry out the aquifer on which the ranches heavily depend. Davis tells him that he will go through with the plan with or without Staten’s approval. When Staten visits Randall’s crash site for his memorial, he notices a piece of another car on the ground. Staten has the idea that Randall’s death was not an accident. He insists that another car was pushed off the road, and that piece might be some evidence. However, when he takes it to Sheriff Brigman, he insists that Staten’s ideas are all wishful thinking, and that Randall was alone on the road that night. Later, Staten returns to Quinn’s house to finish fixing the tractor. Quinn notices he is in a bad mood but does not want to open up. Therefore, Quinn agrees when Davis sends her a text asking for a dinner date.
Staten drops by Cap Fuller’s ranch to talk to him about the pipeline. He wants Fuller not to give in since the ranch is their legacy. Fuller wonders whose legacy Staten is referring to since they both lost their sons. Elsewhere, the cops raid a teen party, leading Lauren, Lucas, Reid, and Tim to hide while everyone else drives away, forcing them to walk home. After leaving the Fuller ranch, Staten drops by a diner to pick up his meal. He confronts Davis about the pipeline and leaves in a sour mood when he sees Quinn on a date. On the way home, Staten drives past the teenagers walking home. As the storm nears, they hide in an abandoned building. The floors are rundown, but Reid jumps on them, causing Tim to fall to the basement and break his leg. Fortunately, Staten decides to drive back and helps the teenagers out of the house.
The police arrive, and Lauren is furious about Reid lying to the cops that he tried to warn them not to jump around while he was the one who caused Tim’s accident. Lauren wants to tell the truth, but Lucas holds her back. Sheriff Brigman arrives and takes Lauren home, warning her to stay away from Lucas. Quinn runs into Staten at the hospital elsewhere since Tim is her nephew. Staten digs at her about going on a date with Davis, making her admit her feelings for him. She tells him that she has been in love with him for a long time and has been waiting and hoping he will choose her, but he never will. At the end of the episode, Yancy gets into a car, and there is none other than Davis. Yancy tells Davis that everything is going as planned at the Fuller ranch. Davis warns him that there is no going back once they go through with the plan. Yancy says that he is counting on it.
