Taylor fears that she made a mess of her family.

At the Bel Air mansion, Taylor tells Ridge that Thomas didn't come home last night. With her husband and her son having both moved out, she wonders why she even came back in the first place. Ridge says that she doesn't mean that. She thinks he's right; it's just that they're still not together, and the girls don't deserve this. Ridge says that he doesn't want to be away from her or their family. He wonders how they went from being so happy to where they are now, since the family was in such a good place. "Until I came back," Taylor says. Ridge tells her not to say that, as he caused his share of problems. But Thomas moved out because of her, she reminds him. She thinks he handled their son better without her. He reminds her that he and Thomas went at it several times while she was gone, over Amber. In fact, he often wished she was there to help him with that. But she doesn't know what to do lately, she laments, and now Thomas may have turned his back on them for good. She wonders if she came down too hard on Gaby for breaking the rules. He thinks they both blamed Gaby, even though Gaby turned down his mother's offers of money before she hooked up with Thomas.

Even so, Taylor thinks Thomas shouldn't be married at 18 years old. But Thomas was only trying to help Gaby out, Ridge reminds her. He thinks they should be proud of their son for that. Taylor agrees, but she thinks a good deed should only go so far. Ridge worries that Sally will milk Thomas for all he has now that Thomas is a success. And there isn't a clear solution, Taylor frets. Unless, Ridge muses... Taylor asks what he has in mind. He has an idea about how to fix this. He doesn't want to get into details until he does something first, but he thinks it just might work. That's fine for Thomas, Taylor says, but does he have a fix for their relationship? Ridge says he'll do anything to fix that. Taylor responds with just one word: counseling. Anything but that, Ridge says. He thinks that the two of them can fix this family simply by working together. He hugs her and leaves.

Hector drops by to check on the alarm - and on Taylor.

Soon after, Hector stops by to check on the alarm, and on Taylor. The alarm is fine, Taylor says, but things with her family have gone from bad to worse since Thomas and Gaby left. She feels like she's made a mess of her family since coming out of her coma. Hector thinks she's navigated the mine field of life pretty well given what she's been through. She feels like she's in the middle of the mine field. But she has help all around, she points out. He had a hunch she might be coming down herself, since he's done that, and he learned that it's not a good thing. Taylor agrees that she's felt pretty alone. Maybe someone will show up to invite a beautiful woman like her out for coffee, he suggests. Even if Ridge can't see that she shouldn't be alone, he can. Taylor thanks him for the offer, but tells him that Ridge was here earlier. Even though they have issues in their marriage, she feels like they're moving in the right direction to bring Thomas back home. Hector says he understands; he only wants the best for her. He just wants her to know that the offer for coffee still stands. Maybe they can go check out office space after, so she can go back to work. Actually, Taylor says, she contacted her old partners, and she starts work tomorrow. That's great, Hector says. She agrees and thanks him for being her friend. You can never have too many of those, he says. Taylor knows that. And with a little luck, she adds, she might get her husband and son back, too.

Thomas and Gaby discuss Sally's contract offer.

At Spectra, Thomas and Gaby sit on their sofa bed, kissing. He says that there's no place he'd rather be and hopes she feels the same. She says she does, but she feels like he's sleeping on a sofa because of her. But he's with her, he points out, so he feels like he made the right choice. But he walked out of his parents' house. So she could stay in this country, he reminds her. Still, she never wanted to take him away from his family. He reminds her that they are married and love each other. He doesn't think they should have to sleep here on the sofa, just because his parents won't accept that. They only want what's best for him, she says. Thomas wants the same thing, and he wonders if Sally's contract offer is the only way for them to win. But signing the contract could also be a losing move, she reminds him, rather than the winning one.

Sally and Clarke sing Thomas's praises.

In her office, Sally shows Thorne, Darla and Clarke the sales figures from Thomas's line. The boy's a miracle, Clarke proclaims. Thorne agrees that the figures are phenomenal, but he reminds Sally that Thomas will be starting college soon. And that, Sally says, is why she has offered their new sensation a contract extension with an impressive signing bonus. She shows Thorne the contract and points out that it's iron-clad, but fair. She's already gone to Thomas and suggested that he postpone college and sign the contract, but she thinks the young man needs to hear it from his trusted uncle. Hear what? Thomas asks, entering with Gaby. For starters, Thorne says, he wants to congratulate Thomas on sales figures that are better than even Ridge ever posted. Thomas thanks Thorne for making that happen. Thorne says it was easy to help cultivate Thomas's gift. Thomas asks Thorne if Sally told him about the contract. She did, Thorne says. As much as he'd like to have Thomas stay on, he wants to be sure Thomas has thought this through, since there's no turning back if he signs the contract. Signing it will change things, Thomas guesses. Thorne tells Thomas that he'll always be part of the family. But he'll be estranged from his parents, Thomas guesses. Gaby reminds him that signing the contract will mean giving up college. But it will open the door to a higher education, Clarke points out. Sally adds that it will also fill Thomas's pockets with money.

Thorne and Darla remind Thomas what's at stake if he signs with Spectra.

Darla reminds Thomas that his parents wanted him to go to college. Gaby agrees and thinks Thomas should think about what he'll be giving up. Sally commends Gaby for defending the people who want to deport her, but she thinks that Thomas should consider that she's the only one trying to keep him with Gaby. Clarke adds that Ridge and Taylor will never accept Gaby. Thorne empathizes with Thomas, since he remembers when his family didn't accept Darla, either. But Thomas is accepted here at Spectra already, Sally points out. Thomas asks if they all think he has what it takes. Thorne, Sally and Clarke all say he does. Then who needs college with success like this? Thomas asks. If that's what he wants, Thorne replies. Thomas turns to Gaby, who says she'll support him either way. Thomas takes a pen and is about to sign the contract, but Ridge appears in the door and tells him to wait: he has a proposal for Thomas, based on the one thing they can agree on.

Ridge has a proposal for his son.

Thomas agrees to hear his dad out. Ridge says that he knows Thomas wants to be treated like a man. Sally tells Ridge to get to the point, so Ridge does: he proposes that he and Thomas settle the situation with Gaby on the runway. They'll each do a full line of designs and present those lines at a fashion show, and the line that sells more after the show wins. And if Thomas wins, he can sign on at Spectra and stay married to Gaby. Thomas says he can do that now. Ridge says that he will accept Gaby into the family if they do this his way. And if he wins, he adds, Thomas goes to college and annuls his marriage. Thomas isn't willing to risk Gaby's fate that way, but Gaby tells him that he won't lose. Sally chimes in with her two cents, as Thomas's "negotiating partner": she reminds Ridge that Thomas is still a rookie who can't match Ridge's experience. Ridge offers to tie one hand behind his back, but Sally instead suggests that both lines cater to teens. Ridge agrees to that and looks to his son, who asks the Spectra gang if they think he can win. Thorne says that he can, so Thomas offers his hand to his dad and agrees. They shake hands, sealing the deal.