Wednesday, June 21, 2006, Episode #4834

Brooke and Stephen have a breakthrough.

Brooke is at home reading the newspaper's Style section; the front page has a big photo of Ridge kissing her with the headline, "WOW!" When the doorbell rings, she's surprised to see her father at her door. Stephen wants to talk. If it's about this, Brooke says, showing him the headline, she couldn't buy that kind of publicity. But Ridge took advantage of her again, Stephen points out. Stephen says that he's been thinking about what she said about his disrupting her life. He wants her to know that he bought Taylor's stock for her to protect her, so she could control Forrester without fear of anyone taking it away from her. She says she is in control. Then act like it and stand up to Ridge, Stephen advises. She asks if Nick sent him, but he replies that he is doing this on his own. She tells him what she told Nick, that Forrester is important to her. The company or the man? he asks. Both, she says. Stephen admits that scares him; he thinks she is vulnerable, because she's been looking for someone all her life to make her feel safe, but Ridge isn't that person. Brooke says that he's the one who married her mom on the rebound when Beth couldn't have Eric, and she refuses to fight his battles against the Forresters over how they treated him. She even wonders if it bothers him that his daughter married Eric Forrester and had two children with him. Stephen says that his feeling inferior to Eric and her marriage to Eric have nothing to do with how he feels. He just wants her to get off the fence about the Forresters, especially Ridge.

Brooke insists that she's marrying Nick. Stephen asks if she's sure about that after Ridge's stunt. He points out that Nick trusted her when she said she wanted to model Ridge's lingerie, and she returned that trust by making Nick watch Ridge put his hands on her? She can't believe that he's lecturing her about trust. It was just a kiss, she says. It was a kick in the teeth to the man she loves, Stephen states. She thinks he's one to talk after bedding both Taylor and Jackie. Stephen argues that she's better than him, so she deserves a better life, but she can never have that while she's addicted to Ridge. She says she isn't. Then why can't she move forward without Ridge? Stephen asks. She replies that Forrester is a family business. And what about her family, he asks, like the one she wants with Nick? He points out that he knows what it's like to be with a woman who loves someone else, so he's warning her not to push Nick away. But he walked out on her mom, she argues. And that was the biggest mistake of his life, Stephen admits, even though he thinks she would have hated him ever more if he stayed. She asks if he's saying he did them a favor by leaving. He says it was hell knowing Beth didn't want to be with him; he asks if she wants to put Nick through that. He fears Ridge is under her skin, poisoning her. Brooke's heard enough, but he wants her to hear one more thing. He assures her that he's not saying this because he hates the Forresters, but because he doesn't want to see his beautiful, brilliant daughter in danger. He's given her so little, so he doesn't want her to miss out on the chance to be happy with Nick. That said, he tells Brooke that he's leaving town. He came to make amends, but he's caused more harm than good, so it's time to leave.

He asks Brooke if she and Nick might consider honeymooning in Paris. Maybe, she answers. He tells her to marry Nick and be happy. As he turns to leave, he says, "Never forget, sweetheart, I love you." As he starts to leave, Brooke calls out to him; he stops and looks back as she says to him, "I love you, too."

Aldo offers his son some advice.

Dante is in his studio, getting dressed for the wedding. He recalls Bridget admitting that she loved him as his father comes to check on him. Aldo senses something wrong and asks Dante if it's cold feet. No, Dante replies. Aldo tells him that Felicia is a wonderful woman. Dante says he loves her, and she's the mother of his child, but... But? Aldo asks. But he's in love with Bridget, Dante confesses. He reminds Aldo how he came to this country to follow a woman he loved. That was Bridget? Aldo asks. Dante explains about Bridget turning down his marriage proposal; after that, he proposed to Felicia, and that was when Bridget realized that she loved him very much. But he's been afraid to tell Felicia, because Bridget doesn't want to hurt her sister, and because Felicia is the mother of his son. Even so, he has to wonder how his own needs and desires fit in. Aldo says that he understands. He tells Dante that long ago, he was in love with a woman he met in his travels. But he had promised his heart to Dante's mother, so he let his commitment to family come before his own desire. But times have changed, Dante says. Aldo agrees. Dante asks his papa if he ever thought about what might have happened had he chosen the girl; when Aldo doesn't answer, Dante says that he has to find Bridget.

Bridget wants Felicia to be happy.

In the Forrester showroom, Felicia flashes back to Dante's marriage proposal. She then recalls the intense talk between Dante and Bridget before the fashion show yesterday. Thorne and Darla arrive and ask Felicia if she thinks the room is fit for a Forrester princess. It's beautiful, Felicia replies, thanking them for their help preparing for the wedding. Bridget arrives with Felicia's wedding dress; Felicia greets her sister and jokes that she was worried that Bridget wasn't coming. Thorne gets a call from the caterer, so he and Darla leave. Felicia asks Bridget how the dress looks. It's not like anything Dad's done before, Bridget admits. Felicia looks inside the garment bag at the black wedding dress; Bridget sees the look on Felicia's face and offers to find another dress, but Felicia says it's fabulous. Bridget's glad it makes Felicia happy. Felicia says she IS happy, because she loves Dante so much. Bridget says she deserves this. "Because we share a son?" Felicia asks. She knows that Dante loved Bridget first, and she saw them both disappear at the house the day Dante's parents arrived, so she wants Bridget to be honest and tell her if she still has feelings for Dante. Bridget says that she'll always be grateful to Dante for his support when she was married to Nick, but she knows Dante loves Felicia. Felicia says she's not a charity case, so she'll understand if Bridget has changed her mind about Dante. Bridget says that she's proud to be Felicia's sister, and she doesn't want anything to come between them. That's why she wants Felicia to enjoy her day today. Felicia hugs Bridget and says she's so happy; Bridget says she knows, but she doesn't look happy.

Bridget goes to change into her dress, while Felicia gets into hers in the showroom. Thorne and Darla return with their minister, Jill; he introduces Jill to Sally and the Damianos. Christian comes in; Felicia thanks him for coming. So she's still laughing at death, he jokes. She laughs that at least he gets her sense of humor and hugs him. Darla comes over with the bouquets and asks if Felicia wants her to bring one up to Bridget. Felicia says she'll do it, since she wants to make sure Bridget has lots of tissues; she thinks she'll need them, since she'll be crying like a baby.

Dante refuses to give up on Bridget.

As Bridget changes into her dress in the CEO's office, Dante bursts in. She says they have nothing left to say. "You still want me to marry Felicia when you know I'm in love with you?" he asks. He loved Felicia enough to propose, Bridget states, adamant that she won't hurt her sister. Dante protests, but she tells him that's how it has to be. He reminds her that she said she loved him. She shouldn't have said that, she states. Dante tells her to stop, as he doesn't want to lose her. She tells him how Felicia just asked her, in the showroom, if she still had feelings for him. Then Felicia knows, he says. Bridget explains that she couldn't tell Felicia, who still doesn't know. Dante thinks it's insane to think that their feelings aren't there if they don't talk about them. She tells him that she promised not to let anything come between her and Felicia, so it's over for her and him. Dante says that he never promised Felicia anything. But he made a commitment to Felicia, she says, and he has to live up to it. Dante suggests to Bridget that he only proposed to Felicia after she [Bridget] turned him down, and he wonders if he did it to make a family for Dino. But Felicia believes he loves her, Bridget counters. Dante says that he loves Felicia, but he feels like Bridget is his life. He tells her that she's the one he wants to wake up with every day as he strokes her cheek.

Felicia catches Bridget and Dante kissing.

Bridget tells Dante not to do this, but before you know it, the two of them are locked into a passionate kiss. Dante tells Bridget that he loves her...