A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob

Stephen Herrick meets his new secretary, Dot Duncan, and hires her. He recognizes her from a calamitous encounter the previous evening and initially dismisses her. Dot explains the situation, and Stephen reluctantly relents and keeps her on.

An incident on the street erupts into a brawl during which Stephen is knocked unconscious. Coffee Cup—Dot's boyfriend—arrives from the Navy and carries Stephen to the Duncan house to recover. The rescue marks the first unlikely bond between the two households.

Stephen awakens amid Dot's boisterous family and friends and is delighted by their warmth. He enjoys their company and joins them for a night at a dance hall. He ends up forgetting about his imminent engagement to Cecilia Grange.

The next morning Cecilia bursts into Stephen's office to demand Dot be fired. Dot has just fallen from a stepstool and Stephen catches her in his arms. Cecilia's demands meet Stephen's indifference as he refuses to fire Dot.

Coffee Cup wins a wrestling match and hopes to use the winnings to fund his wedding to Dot. Dot's brother, Pigeon, admits he bet against Coffee Cup's opponent and lost all their money. The family's finances become a new point of tension.

Coffee Cup wins a piano at a raffle and plans to pawn it for Dot's engagement ring. However, a truck destroys the piano before he can pawn it, ruining that plan. The setback leaves Dot's ring still out of reach.

Coffee Cup's latest scheme lands him in jail for inciting a riot. Stephen posts his bail and, in a show of support, offers to buy the good-luck ring for Coffee Cup to present to Dot. The act signals Stephen's growing willingness to invest in Dot's future.

Abel Martin encourages Stephen to pursue Dot, while Stephen succumbs to the idea of Dot marrying Coffee Cup. Coffee Cup asks Stephen to be his best man at the wedding. The shifting loyalties set the stage for the impending ceremony.

During the wedding rehearsal, Coffee Cup misplaces the engagement ring. The search for the ring creates mounting tension as the clock ticks toward the ceremony.

Coffee Cup's sailor friends whisper that Dot may be marrying the wrong man. Their comment sows doubt in Dot about her choice and strains the wedding plans. The doubt becomes a pivotal moment in the timeline.

Dot bursts into tears as Stephen moves to kiss her for luck. Coffee Cup realizes the warning may be true and sends Stephen to speak with Dot alone. The moment teeters on the brink of upheaval as wedding plans hang in the balance.

Coffee Cup flees the chapel on his motorcycle while Stephen pursues in a taxi. The two men fight over Dot and speed back to the chapel. Coffee Cup deposits the unconscious Stephen along with a note to Dot. The note reveals that Coffee Cup is reenlisting in the Navy and that Stephen is secretly in love with Dot.