It’s Valentine’s Day, and since Niles’ new girlfriend Mel is leaving town for a medical conference, Niles agrees to go to the opera with Frasier. But when Mel cancels her trip, Niles dumps Frasier to be with her. Feeling blue about his non-existent love life, Frasier tells Roz about a pretty w oman who always sits in an adjacent opera box, and she urges him to pursue her.

Frasier drags Martin to the opera, and during the intermission, Frasier introduces himself to the woman, Emily, and her mother, Helen. While Frasier and Emily slip away for a glass of champagne, Helen invites Martin on a date. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, he leads Helen to believe he’s refusing her offer because he’s gay.

When Emily returns to Frasier’s condo for a nightcap, she brings her gay uncle, Edward, along to meet Martin. Martin keeps up the charade—until Edwa rd asks him out. Panicking, Martin claims he’s dating someone and convinces Niles to pose as his boyfriend so that Edw ard will back off. Feeling like a third wheel, Edw ard convinces Emily to leave, but since Frasier wants to spend more time with Emily, Niles pretends to break up with Martin, so that Martin can give Edwa rd a lift home.