Gaby thanks Thomas for bringing a smile to her face.

Gaby arrives at Bikini Beach and finds Thomas waiting for her. She says she's glad he called, as she was thinking about him. He feigns surprise; she tells him that she needed to smile, and he always makes her smile. He sees that she brought a book with her and hopes that's not because he's boring. She says that she did that because she didn't know who would get there first. She sees his sketchpad and guesses he had the same idea, which leads her to ask how things are going at Spectra. He says that he wants to prove himself there, to show that he has what it takes. She says that she's already sold on that. So she's his first fan, he says. And there will be many more, she replies. He thanks her for coming. She says she couldn't pass up the chance to be with Spectra's hot new designer. Thomas knows that Sally keeps saying that he has talent in his blood, but he's hoping that he'll get some guidance from Thorne and Clarke. Still, there's not much pressure, since he only signed on for the summer. And after that? she asks. Larchmont College, here they come, he replies, recalling how much her education means to her.

Thomas shows Gaby how to have fun.

Gaby agrees that going to college was her dream and her mom's, and she wants to make her mom proud. He's sure she will. He makes a deal with her: if she helps him make his folks proud, he'll make sure she has fun. She asks if he'll show her how. He hopes she doesn't mind getting sand between his toes, since he's taking her to see the ocean. He drags her outside, where there's an air mattress with pillows. They lay down on the mattress and look out on the ocean, admiring how beautiful it is. Gaby says she loves the ocean at night. Thomas then leans over and kisses her, saying that he wanted to do that all night. She says she wanted him to do that all night; whenever she's with him, she feels so... He says he feels it, too, and they start kissing again.

Eric fumes at his wife's interference.

In Eric's office, Stephanie scolds Eric for letting Brooke get to him. He asks why she always does this when Brooke is involved. Because it's true, she replies, and if he can't see that... The only thing he sees is a woman who he doesn't know, who has repeatedly ignored his pleas to let their son make up his own mind. A woman who instead went to Taylor and told her about Nick and Deacon. He asks when it's going to stop. When they're rid of Brooke, she says. And that's her agenda, he says: she wants everyone to think that Brooke will be forced out and go running to Nick, his daughter's husband. They're not married yet, she says. But they will be, he says, unless she... He then guesses she went to Bridget and asks how she can drag his daughter into her vendetta against Brooke. She says she only wanted to protect Bridget. She just prays Ridge makes the right decision, as the alternative is unthinkable. He tells her again to back down and let Ridge make up his own mind. She says she will when he [Eric] accepts that Ridge will dump Brooke, who will then run right to Nick. That's what she wants to protect Bridget from. Eric tells her to stop turning this around on Brooke. He tells her that Nick and Bridget are deeply in love, so it's wrong for her to undermine Bridget's faith in Nick. This has to end. What has to end, she says, is Brooke's hold on him.

Stephanie says that the war between her and Brooke will never end.

Eric tells Stephanie that the issue is her staying out of Ridge's decision, not their history with Brooke. She however refuses to butt out after what Brooke did to this family by stealing her husband. She's still bitter about that, Eric sees. Yes, she says, she is, which is why she'll never forgive Brooke. She only compromised when Taylor was gone, for the kids' sake, but now that Taylor is back, she sees no reason to end this was between her and Brooke. And while she's fighting this battle, he asks, what happens to their marriage? He asks when he stopped mattering to her. She says he does matter: they just disagree when it comes to Brooke. Eric says she's missing his point, that he's lost his loving, caring wife who put their marriage first. In her place is a hateful bully who wants to run everyone's life, and that has to stop. She says that's Brooke's fault, not her's. If that were true, he asks, why wouldn't he, Ridge or Thorne hold that against Brooke? She laughs that she's never been able to figure that out. It's because Brooke is a feeling, human being, he says. He can't believe he has the nerve to say that and imply that she isn't. He says he's talking about her, about their marriage. He needs his wife, his friend, not this hateful warrior and manipulator she's become. That hate-filled person is someone he wants nothing to do with.

Ridge needs some time alone with Taylor.

In Ridge's office, Brooke asks Ridge to tell her and Taylor who he wants to spend his life with. He says that he sees two beautiful, intelligent, amazing women who touched his life in the most wonderful ways and gave him the greatest gift a man could get - children, a family. Even though he's tried to find an answer that benefits everyone, he realizes that... That one family will be destroyed, Brooke says. Ridge says he doesn't want that. But he can't keep them both, Taylor reminds him. He says he realizes that. He feels like this is a cruel joke being played on all of them, especially on the kids, and he can't say how there's some logic behind his having to choose one family over the other. Taylor says she knows. They're totally different women who have captured his heart, he says: he hopes they'll never forget that. Both women say they won't. Ridge then says that he got clarity from his trip to New York and came to a decision. He's just not sure that they'll like what he decided. Brooke asks what he means. In struggling to make this decision, he says, he realized that he needs time alone with Taylor, to reconnect with her. Taylor says she wanted the same thing. Brooke is confused: does that mean he hasn't made a decision. He has and he hasn't, he says. He needs to spend time with Taylor, but he also needs time with Brooke.

Ridge acknowledges how selfless Brooke has been since Taylor returned, in letting Taylor stay close to her kids in their home. He knows that came at a cost to his relationship with Brooke. Brooke says she has missed him and how things used to be with him. He tells both women that he sees what they've both been through, which is why he needs time alone with them before he can make his decision. He suggests that they go to the Malibu beach house; first, Taylor will spend a day with him there, and then Brooke would spend the following day with him. He hopes that's OK. Brooke thinks it's a good idea, since he should have time alone at a time like this. Ridge asks if he can have a moment alone with each of them, so Brooke steps outside. Ridge tells Taylor that he knows this isn't what she was hoping. He just hates asking for extra time. Then don't, she says. In fact, she's surprised he's doing this. She reminds him that they were married for a long time, so he should know what they have together. In her mind, she is still his wife, and she wants the life they had together back. It's tearing her up not to have that, because her love for him is still inside her. He says it's in him, too, and he doesn't want her to ever doubt that. Then they should keep what they have, she says, kissing him.