Thursday, June 15, 2006, Episode #4830

Stephanie worries about Ridge.

Stephanie enters the Forrester CEO's office and finds Ridge confidently fitting lingerie outfits on a pair of models for tomorrow's show. Stephanie approves of the sexy designs, but she suggests that Ridge get some rest. He has the show and Felicia's wedding coming up, and she doesn't want him collapsing on his sister's big day. He quips that it would serve Felicia right for dying on HIS wedding day. He then assures his mother that he's fine. She thinks he's worried about Brooke, but he says that it's Nick that worries him since that S.O.B. tried to get Brooke to fire them. Stephanie thanks god that common sense prevailed and Brooke changed her mind. That threw Nick into a panic, Ridge says, which makes this the perfect time to deliver the knockout blow to the sailor's relationship with Brooke. He shows his mother the card with the theme for tomorrow's show: "It Begins With a Kiss." Stephanie opens the card and reads, "A heart was torn, but with a kiss, it was reborn." It's a tad sentimental, she comments. Ridge states that kisses are powerful, like Brooke's kiss that brought him back to life. For the end of tomorrow's show, he plans to deliver a special kiss of his own to Brooke in front of everyone when she gets to the end of the catwalk. He's sure this kiss will signal a new start for him and Brooke, and the kiss of death for Nick and Brooke. Stephanie notes that one kiss can only do so much, but Ridge retorts that you don't need a hurricane to knock down a house of cards. He's sure Nick will go through the roof after seeing Brooke react to this kiss.

Stephen is in Nick's office. While he waits for Nick, Stephen picks up the phone and calls Taylor. He tells her that he missed hearing her voice, but he has a more disturbing reason for his call. He wants her to know that the word is out about their night together. Taylor isn't surprised, since Stephanie is only discrete when she wants to be. Stephen hopes Taylor knows that he didn't use her just to get her stock, despite what Stephanie is telling everyone. She offers to talk to Stephanie, but he says he can handle the Forrester matriarch. He just wants Taylor to know that even though he was disappointed when she ended things between then, he understands her decision. He just hopes their involvement hasn't caused her any shame. It hasn't, Taylor replies. Stephen is glad, since he hopes they can still be friends. Taylor responds that he's a wonderful man, but... But he's still Brooke's father, he finishes. Yes, Taylor agrees. He asks if it counts if Brooke's not speaking to him. Before she can answer, Taylor hears her doorbell, so she tells Stephen she has to answer that and promises to call him back later.

Nick tries to believe that Brooke can handle things with the Forresters.

Nick comes in and is surprised to see Stephen, who says Nick's secretary let him in. "Did you sleep with her, too?" Nick asks. Stephen thinks he deserves that. Nick isn't sure what Stephen deserves after sleeping with Taylor and Jackie. Stephen admits he's intrigued by both women, but Taylor doesn't want a relationship. As for Jackie, they've made no promises to each other, but they enjoy spending time together. He tells Nick to get worked up over that if he wants, but he thinks Nick's attention is better focused on the Forrester fashion show, since he's sure Ridge and Stephanie are planning to use that showing to lure Brooke back into their fold. Nick isn't worried, since Brooke controls the company. Stephen is sure that Ridge and Stephanie are plotting as they speak. "We have to be ready for anything," he warns Nick. Nick asks what's with this "we" stuff. Stephen doesn't think this is the time for them to be at odds, since they both want what's best for Brooke. Nick suggests that they wouldn't be in this spot had Stephen ""kept it zipped." Stephen tells Nick to blame him if he wants, but he thinks Nick is playing right into the Forresters' hands by being complacent. Brooke can handle herself, a skeptical Nick responds.

Brooke is surprised by what Taylor tells her.

Taylor answers the door and is surprised to see Brooke, who wants to apologize to Taylor, She says she never would have let her dad take advantage of Taylor had she known what he had planned. But he didn't take advantage, Taylor replies. Brooke is confused, since she thought her father preyed on Taylor's vulnerability and convinced her to sleep with him to get her stock. Taylor explains that she slept with Stephen AFTER she signed over the stock, when Stephen came to check up on her. Brooke is even more confused; she asks Taylor if she was drunk, or if she wanted revenge on Ridge. Taylor answers "no" on both counts. She admits she was surprised, especially since Stephen is Brooke's father. But he was very different than she remembered, and they both realized that they had been used by the Forresters. Maybe she was vulnerable after returning to L.A. months ago, only to be tossed aside by the family she thought loved her, and maybe she shouldn't have done it. But she wants Brooke to know that what happened with Stephen wasn't cheap or ugly. Brooke asks Taylor if she's saying she's involved with Stephen. It's over, Taylor assures her. Brooke is glad, since the whole idea is crazy. Taylor agrees that Brooke's dad is the last person she should be involved with. Still, she wants Brooke to know that despite the pain Stephen caused in the past, people change. Brooke doesn't think her dad has, but Taylor recalls Stephanie's recent change of attitude about Brooke. She sold her Forrester stock because she didn't want to be part of the emotional dishonesty in that family, and she doesn't know why Brooke would want to be part of it, either.

Taylor doesn't know who she is anymore.

Brooke says she's only doing business with Stephanie. Besides, it doesn't matter whether the stock offer was a bribe to reunite her and Ridge, since she's with Nick. And Stephanie knows how upset Ridge is about that, Taylor notes. Before Brooke can answer, she gets an urgent call from Ridge, who needs her to come for a fitting with the show. She says that he has a dress form with her measurements, but he reminds her that there's no room for error with lingerie. Brooke agrees to come and leaves. Alone, Taylor thinks about how Ridge needs Brooke again. Still, she muses as she looks at a photo of her and Ridge, there was a time they were happy. Flashing back to happier times in their relationship, she recalls how they had it all. But now that he's gone -- she flashes back to times with Ridge since her "return from the dead" -- she doesn't even know who she is anymore.

Stephen frets that Brooke is over at Forrester.

As Brooke arrives at Forrester, she stops in the hall to call Nick. She explains that she's at Forrester for a fitting, but she promises to be quick about it and back at Marone soon. Nick thanks her for the heads up and tells her he loves her. As he hangs up, Stephen asks what that was about; he worries when Nick says that Ridge called Brooke over to Forrester. It's only for a fitting, Nick says, and she promised to be quick. But it's a lingerie fitting, Stephen frets. Nick again assures him that Brooke can handle it, but Stephen doesn't want Brooke there at all. Nick says he doesn't like it either, but this collection is important to Brooke, since it's her first as CEO - and hopefully, her last. Stephen asks what he means. They just have to get through tomorrow, Nick comments.

Ridge is confident about what the fashion show means for his future.

Brooke goes into the CEO's office and goes behind a screen to change. Once she has the outfit on, she tells Ridge it fits perfectly, but he wants to see for himself. She assures him it's fine, but he says she hasn't even looked in the mirror. She says she doesn't need to. He asks why she's afraid of showing him. She says she's not. Then come out, he says, promising to be strictly professional. Brooke reluctantly comes out and wows Ridge with how his design looks on her. He comes over to check the seams. She asks him to please do it quickly. It's only a fitting, he comments, asking her to loosen up while he adjusts it a little. Brooke relents a little, admitting she's a bit nervous, since this is her first time modeling lingerie in a while. She wonders if they should have hired a younger spokesmodel. Ridge assures her that she's never been more beautiful and reminds her that this is HER line. He promises that it will be fine and shows her the card with theme for the showing. She's impressed by the tag line, "It Begins With a Kiss." "It's a great theme for us," Ridge replies. He means Brooke's Bedroom, she says. Yeah, he reluctantly replies. She asks if his mother saw the theme; he tells her that Stephanie loves it and supports them all the way. He's sure the fashion world will be talking about them tomorrow. Brooke can't wait, but she thinks she should go. She can leave here and work from Marone, Ridge says, but the chemistry between them is still there, which is why tomorrow will be a day they'll remember forever. OK, Brooke responds, but she has to go change.