Ryder’s attempts to sneak one over on Theo backfire next week on Home and Away in the UK, while Mia receives an unwanted phone call…
Customers at Salt will be treated to some unexpected entertainment when Theo Poulos (Matt Evans) and Ryder Jackson (Lukas Radovich) bring their latest challenge to the restaurant as part of their budding careers as social media stars.
Last week, the two, along with Ryder’s ex-girlfriend and business partner Chloe Anderson (Sam Barrett), agreed to team up to generate money for Ryder and Chloe’s food delivery firm.
Ryder and Chloe turned to delivering food prepared in the restaurant kitchen to pay back money borrowed from friends and family after their Mexican food truck exploded, leaving them in a massive debt.
This hasn’t come without its difficulties, and they’ve accidentally forgotten to stay on top of things during the current tumult. The cherry on top came when Ryder unintentionally wiped out the company’s credit card by depositing $2000 instead of $200 to a supplier.
When Theo said he could bail them out, there was scepticism, especially after he disclosed that he’d been making money online from a video he took of Ryder screaming out at his 21st birthday party. However, after witnessing how eager viewers were for additional videos of the duo, they realised the potential.
Ryder won their first challenge, a chili-eating contest… just as he ran into the restroom to puke.
While Ryder was busy chundering, Theo swooped in and surprised Chloe by planting a kiss on her. She quickly reminded them that they needed to get Ryder home, but it was evident that Chloe had enjoyed herself!
Theo is worried this week when Ryder approaches him and demands an explanation. Ryder’s issue is merely that the ghost chilli included in their challenge is one of the hottest in the world, which Theo rapidly tries to figure out how he’ll explain the kiss.
Theo is happy that he’s off the hook for the time being, and as Chloe swiftly shifts the focus by mentioning how popular the video has become, the search for the next challenge begins.
When Theo has some alone time with Chloe, he wonders why she didn’t inform Ryder about the kiss. She confesses that she didn’t want to hurt Ryder, especially given the time he spent worrying about Theo kidnapping her.
When the three of them reunite at Theo’s house, along with Justin (James Stewart), who has become the pair’s biggest supporter, they draw some more ideas from a hat, only to discover that Theo has attempted to rig the vote.
As a result, Ryder is the one who throws down the gauntlet, relying on his specific skill—cocktails.
Theo continues to bug Chloe about the kiss while Ryder moves out to set up, but her mood shifts. Chloe wonders if Theo kissed her in the hopes that Ryder would walk in and find them, fed up with his seeming inability to take anything seriously. She then proceeds to tell him how self-centered he is, leaving Theo speechless.
If that wasn’t enough, Summer Bay’s top mixologist has a nasty surprise in store for Theo when he arrives at Salt for the challenge.
Ryder’s stomach-churning creations include an eggspresso martini and his variation on a surf and turf cocktail, complete with raw minced beef and an oyster, which is a far cry from Salt’s normal fare.
Both Ryder and Chloe are taken aback when Theo, who has just about managed to mask his unease, downs the cocktails without hesitation.
When Theo tries to stand up, Ryder reveals that he has been superglued to the barstool.
Ryder wins for the second time… When Theo simply takes off his trousers, however, his face falls!
Even Chloe can’t help but smile at Theo’s cleverness as he parades himself up and down Salt to a wave of applause from the diners… Is he able to sway her?
With the score now at one all, Ryder must sadly concede defeat.
Mia (Anna Samson), Chloe’s mother, gets a terrible surprise this week when she receives a phone call from an unknown number.
Her face falls as she asks who’s calling and quickly exits the diner, questioning how they got her number and telling them flat out not to phone her again.
As Irene (Lynne McGranger) delivers Mia’s coffee, she remarks that she appears to have seen a ghost.
Her phone rings again later, while she is at home. Mia declines the call, but Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams) observes and inquires as to what is the matter.
The caller was none other than Chloe’s father, Matthew, as Mia explains!
Chloe has never met her biological father—she has always regarded Ari to be her father—and Mia is adamant about keeping it that way, having not spoken to Matthew in over two decades.
And it’s evident that Mia has excellent cause to keep that portion of her past buried when she later reveals Ari the complete history between herself and Matthew….
