Hope learns the finer points of playing blackjack.

At Nick and Bridget's beach house, Jackie drops by and finds Nick playing blackjack with Hope. As Hope tells him to "Read em' and weep," Nick frets that he lost again. Jackie wishes them a Happy New Year; Nick asks her to keep it down, since Bridget is sleeping. Jackie admonishes him for gambling with a child and explains that she brought some breakfast things over, so Bridget can stay off her feet. Nick thanks her and notes how pretty she looks; she tells him that she was out with Eric and they called it a night. Nick understands, since Bridget was too tired to make it to midnight. After checking with Hope, Nick invites his mom to join their game, and Hope proceeds to beat Jackie as well. Jackie quips that she doesn't have any money to cover her losses. "If you don't got the dime, don't do the crime," Hope sweetly says, as Nick laughs that the child is learning. Just then, Catherine arrives; she thanks Nick for watching Hope for her while she went to a party. Nick helps Hope with her coat and wishes her a Happy New Year. Catherine helps Hope gather her things so they can get on their way. Once they're gone, Jackie comments on how much Hope adores Nick; Nick wonders if he's letting Hope down by not being around her too much. Jackie tells him that she's proud the life he's built with Bridget, which he'll soon be able to share with their daughter and Dominick. Still, seeing him with Hope makes her wonder if he ever thinks about the life he could have had with Brooke.

Nick admits to Jackie that he thinks about the family he might have had with Brooke.

Nick admits that he thinks about the life he could have had with Brooke, but his place now is with Bridget and the family they're building. He thinks about all the things he's feeling as a husband and father; he and Bridget wanted those things for a long time, so having them makes him feel lucky. Jackie agrees that he's a lucky man, but she can't help but remember that he felt those same feelings with Brooke and Hope and RJ. Even if they were never actually a family, it felt like one to Hope. Nick agrees, stating that he knows the loss Hope feels, because he sometimes feels it, too. Jackie tells him to be grateful for the chance to have those feelings, since some people never have the chance to taste that. Nick wonders if it's a blessing or a curse, since he's left with the memories. Jackie then helps him clean up and sees that Hope forgot to take her drinking cup; Nick picks up the cup and sits on the couch, holding the cup and remembering the happy times he spent with Brooke and Hope. It's obvious that those times still mean a lot to him.

Darla tells Thorne that she offered Hector some encouragement.

At Thorne and Darla's beach house, Thorne ends a call with Eric, who fills him in on Ridge's activities in Europe. Thorne then joins Darla and laments to her how he's the president of Forrester, yet he has to go through his dad to find out what Ridge is up to. He wonders what the Paris office thinks of him given Ridge's spin on his abilities. They think he's a good president, Darla says, since he knows how to delegate to his lackey so he can be with his family on the holidays. Thorne doesn't think Ridge would like being called a lackey. It's no worse than dingbat, Darla says, but Thorne still frets that Ridge is out to make him look foolish. Why doesn't he call Ridge at home to talk about it? Darla asks. Thorne tells her that Eric just told him that Ridge is still in Paris, so he frets that he has to call his brother there. She asks if he thinks Ridge is cheating on Taylor; Thorne wonders where that came from, so Darla explains that Taylor has an admirer who has lots in common with Taylor, and who Darla prefers over Ridge. Thorne asks who it is; when Darla tells him it's Hector, he's not totally surprised, since Hector has been around the office a lot lately. Still, he can't see Taylor offering Hector any encouragement. Darla says that's why she offered Hector some encouragement and told him to go for it.

Thorne is stunned that she could do that to his brother's family! He asks her to think of how he'd feel if he had to go to Paris to clean up after Ridge and she had an affair while he was gone. Darla says he doesn't mistreat her the way Ridge does Taylor, but she can see his point. She offers to call Hector and tell him she took some heavy medication, but Thorne thinks the damage is done. Besides, even if Hector heeded Darla's advice, Thorne doesn't see Taylor responding. Darla wants him to know that just because she doesn't see Ridge's marriage as sacred doesn't mean she doesn't see their own that way. Thorne lightens the mood by joking that he was going to get her a chastity belt for Christmas, but he figured Sally would help her break the lock. Darla thanks him for making her a better person as they start kissing.

Hector's attempts to explain don't exactly please Taylor.

Meanwhile, in Taylor and Ridge's bedroom, Taylor tries to tell a stunned Brooke that Hector just came by to wish her a happy new year. In her bedroom? Brooke asks. Taylor says that Hector was there when Ridge called, saying he was not coming home yet, so Hector was being a friend. Brooke still isn't buying that, despite Taylor's repeated insistence that nothing happened with Hector. She points out that Taylor is undressed. Taylor tries to explain, but Hector thinks that Brooke is on to them, so they may as well admit what happened. Taylor tells him that this isn't the time, but Hector admits to Brooke that she was right. He explains how he has watched time and again as Ridge has let Taylor down, not being there for her as a husband should. He brings up the press conference and Christmas, recalling how Ridge was not there for Taylor there as well. Amazed that this is has been building for some time, Brooke asks Taylor if Ridge likes having to be stuck in a hotel for the holidays. Taylor gets frustrated at Brooke and Hector analyzing her marriage, but Brooke reminds her of the lengths Ridge has gone to make their marriage work, including counseling. Hector says that he's not ashamed of his feelings for Taylor, who tells him to stop. Brooke says that here Taylor is, in her underwear with a man other than her husband. Taylor tries to tell Brooke that this is a misunderstanding; tell that to Hector, Brooke says. She says that RJ is downstairs, and Ridge isn't here, so... Noting that she can't believe Taylor would do this to Ridge, she leaves, despite Taylor's pleas to wait.

Taylor gets dressed. Hector sees she is angry and asks if it's because of what he said, or because he said it to Brooke. Taylor says the person she is really upset with is herself, since she let this situation develop. Hector says she did nothing wrong, but she thinks his even being here is proof that she did. She told him to stay away, she states, but she didn't say it like she meant it. She tells him he is a wonderful man, but she is committed to her husband and family. He asks if she thinks Brooke will tell Ridge. There's no telling what Brooke will do, she states. Hector asks if it will be so bad if Brooke tells. It would be, Taylor says as she bolts out.