Thursday, June 08, 2006, Episode #4825

Christian offers some advice.

At the hospital, Bridget works with Christian, praising the hunky young doctor for batting 1000 since coming on staff here. Christian suggests that it may have something to do with his being assigned to their brightest intern. Bridget doesn't know about the brightest, but she agrees that she's the busiest; in fact, she just pulled a double shift, but she doesn't mind, since there's nothing else going on in her life. What about Dante and Dino? Christian asks. That's over, she replies. He says he's sorry, since they seemed happy together. They were, she sadly agrees.

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Bridget worries that she passed on a great guy like Dante.

Christian has to step out, but when he returns, he asks Bridget if she wants to talk about Dante. She's embarrassed because of her poor track record with men, but he assures her that love is a subject that few people easily master. Bridget laments that she was still hung up on Nick, who is about to marry her mother; because of that, she passed up on the chance to marry an amazing guy who could give her everything she wants out of life. Christian guesses that she regrets turning down Dante's proposal. She explains that Dante caught her off guard, and she wasn't ready for marriage, because she held out hope that she and Nick might not get divorced. Now, she knows that's not going to happen. Christian points out that Dante's feelings for her ran very deep, so he wonders if maybe it's not too late for her to tell Dante how she feels. Bridget hesitates and says that she's working; Christian replies she's no use to him while she's so preoccupied, so he wants her to go. Bridget agrees, so she hugs him and leaves.

Dante bids his fiancee good morning.

Meanwhile, Dante and Felicia are in Dante's bed. Felicia looks at him sleeping next to her; he wakes up and bids her, "buon giorno, bella." Smiling, she tells him that this is last chance to take his proposal back; he says he'll gladly do so, just so he can do it all over again. He even wakes up charming, she comments. He admits that he didn't sleep much last night; she laughs that she has that effect on him. Dante says that the only two nights he spent with her were the craziest nights of his life; on the first night, they conceived their son, and he asked her to marry him on the second. Laughing, Felicia asks if he's feeling a little pressure; he doesn't think it can get any better for him, with their son down the hall and his son's mother sleeping next to him. Smiling, she asks where his ambition is, since she thought Italians all wanted huge families. Laughing, Dante kisses her again and they start going at each other again. Dante then asks how her family will react. She thinks they'll just nod with their eyes glazed over, but he reminds her that her mother wanted to deport him. Felicia doesn't think her mother will be a problem now that Dominick will be raised by both his parents together. Dante agrees and kisses her again, but they're interrupted by Dino crying. Dante offers to go check on their son.

Felicia wonders how Bridget will react to the news of her engagement.

When Dante returns with Dino, he finds Felicia on the balcony. She asks how he thinks Bridget will react to his marrying her sister. He reminds her that Bridget turned down his proposal. Felicia knows that, but she thinks Bridget might still be jealous. She would be if Felicia was marrying Nick, Dante retorts, since Bridget is obviously still hung up on her ex-husband. Felicia thinks that's too bad. Dante agrees, since he wants the best for Bridget. Maybe Bridget will find it, Felicia says, just like she did after nearly dying. Dante agrees that Bridget has an amazing heart. Felicia asks if he has any regrets, but he has none. Felicia says that she doesn't, either. Soon after, Dante is getting dressed when Bridget stops by to see him. He tells her that he was about to go find her at the hospital, since he has something to tell her. Bridget says that she has something to tell him, too. She finally sees how she took their friendship for granted, because she was preoccupied with Nick. She sees now that he was right when he said Nick was wrong for her, and she's sorry. She hopes there's still a chance for her to prove how much she wants him. Dante says he has to tell her something, but before he could get any further, Bridget's cell phone rings. She answers and it's Felicia, who has amazing news that she wanted Bridget to hear from her first: she and Dante got engaged last night, so Dominick will grow up as part of a family, with both his parents there for him! Stunned, Bridget says that's wonderful, but she breaks into tears once she hangs up.

Jackie thanks Stephen for last night.

Over at Brooke's, she and Nick are having coffee and playfully flirting after her accepting his proposal last night. Nick asks if the kids are still sleeping; Brooke tells him that Catherine is getting them dressed. Speaking of the kids, she asks Nick if he can pick RJ up from his lunch play date today, since she's swamped with meetings all day. Even though he doesn't know what a play date is until Brooke explains, he says he can do that. He mentions that he also has some meetings this morning and suggests they get dressed and ride to work together. Maybe next time, she replies, since she has something to do today. She kisses Nick, who goes up to get ready for work while she stays down with her cell phone. She calls her father's cell; as he answers, Stephen is in bed with Jackie. Brooke says that she has to see him. Stephen hopes this isn't about Stephanie being upset after losing control of Forrester and warns Brooke not to let that ruin her relationship with Nick. Actually, Brooke says, she and Nick are engaged! Stephen thinks that's wonderful. Jackie overhears and asks if Nick and Brooke got engaged, but Stephen hushes her. Brooke hears the voice in the background and asks if that's Taylor. Stephen is silent. Brooke says that's what they need to talk about. Stephen says he'll see her soon and hangs up. He then tells Jackie that their children are making it official. Jackie thinks that's wonderful, just as last night with him was for her. She thanks him for last night, as she hasn't felt this good in a long time. Stephen just smiles at her.

Nick isn't pleased by what he sees in the paper.

Brooke brings in the morning paper as Nick comes down. She comments that he said he was running late. He explains that he had a pre-play date with RJ and some blocks. So building empires with her son is more important than running his own? he asks. Nick agrees and wishes they could get married now. As they kiss, Brooke reminds him that his divorce will soon be final, so they can finally move on, just like Bridget wanted them to. Then they can really get down to business. Brooke growls at him and pretends to bite his neck; laughing, he tells her not to leave marks and suggests they get back to talking about the business. As he looks at the newspaper, she reminds him that she won't be working with Ridge, just like he wanted. Instead, she'll run Forrester from Marone. Looking at a page in the paper, Nick asks, "If you're running Forrester Creations, then whose idea was this?" He shows her an ad for the Brooke's Bedroom line on the back page, complete with a shot of her dressed in lingerie. Stunned, Brooke says she didn't authorize that. An angry Nick thinks this has Ridge written all over it. Brooke guesses that Nick is just excited about the line, but Nick thinks Ridge is trying to bring back the old days. He asks Brooke how she'd feel if it was a picture of him clad in underwear in the paper. She concedes his point and agrees to talk to Ridge - that is, after Nick kisses her.

Stephen tries to reassure Brooke.

As Nick and Brooke kiss, Stephen arrives and congratulates them on their engagement. Nick says he's late for a meeting and has to go. Stephen guesses that things are improving now that Brooke fired the Forresters. Nick breaks the news to him that Brooke didn't fire them; Brooke then explains about her compromise to run Forrester from an office at Marone. Nick tells Stephen not to argue the point; he did and lost, even though he gave Brooke a ring. He gives Brooke a goodbye kiss and leaves. Alone with his daughter, Stephen asks if Stephanie threatened her. Actually, Brooke says she asked him here to talk about Taylor: she wants to know if what Stephanie said is true, that he slept with Taylor to get her stock. Stephen is surprised that Stephanie said anything but admits that it's true, even though he wasn't taking advantage of Taylor. And it's over now, anyway, he adds, or at least he thinks it is. He assures Brooke that what happened between him and Taylor had nothing to do with the stock.