Tuesday, April 17, 2007, Episode #5040

Brooke is surprised to hear of Ashley's plans.

As Ridge waits on the Shady Marlin for Phoebe, he calls Ashley to apologize for kissing her. Ash reminds him that she kissed him back, but he still thinks he got ahead of himself and wants to take her to dinner to make it up to her. Ashley accepts the offer, so Ridge says he'll pick her up at her hotel after work. Ashley says she has some stuff to finish at work first, so she asks him to meet her at the lab instead. As Ashley and Ridge firm up their plans, Brooke walks by the lab door while in the building to pick up some of her things and overhears Ashley talking; not having heard who Ashley was talking to, Brooke asks the chemist if those dinner plans are with anyone she knows. When Ash admits that it's Brooke's ex-husband, Brooke jokingly points out, "I have several." [For the record, Brooke legally only has two ex-husbands, since most of her marriages were annulled or invalid. But counting all the people she's shared "I do's" with, there's Eric (divorced), Ridge (invalid since Taylor was alive), Grant (invalid because the minister/sea captain who married them was a fraud), Ridge (annulled), Thorne (annulled), Whip (annulled), Ridge (annulled), Ridge (invalid again since Taylor was alive), Eric (annulled) and Nick (divorced).]

Ashley tells Brooke that she and Ridge are just friends.

Ashley counters, "So do I" [although her list isn't as long as Brooke's, since she married Stephen Lassiter (deceased), Victor Newman (divorced), Alex "Blade" Bladeson (deceased), Cole Howard (divorced) and Brad Carlton (divorced) on Y&R] and then qualifies that she's going out with Ridge. Brooke is surprised that Ashley is dating Ridge, but Ash explains that it's just a couple of friends sharing a meal. She suggests that Ridge is taking pity on her, since she's been too busy settling into life in L.A. with her daughter and working on the new fragrance to socialize. And speaking of the fragrance... Brooke gets that Ashley needs to get back to work, but she offers a bit of advice first. She knows this may be none of her business, but she spent most of her adult life consumed with Ridge, so she knows how vulnerable he is now. And even though her relationship with Ridge is over, they still share a son and a history of both loving each other deeply and hurting each other, so she wants Ridge to be happy, but that can't happen until he heals. Ashley asks Brooke if she's saying that Ridge is on the rebound. Brooke explains that she's happy that Ridge has found Ashely as a friend, but she hopes Ashley won't rush into anything, for Ridge's sake as well as Ashley's own.

On the Marlin, Phoebe recalls how Shane followed her to Insomnia. Ridge tells his daughter that Shane seemed desperate, which is why he worried about her staying on this boat alone last night. Phoebe thanks Ridge for calling her 12 times and stopping by twice last night, but she thinks Shane got the message after the warning Ridge gave him at Insomnia. Ridge says he just wants her to be safe; Phoebe says she's never felt more safe. Ridge feels nervous on Popeye's boat and asks Phoebe if they can go; Phoebe comments that it's so beautiful here by the Santa Monica Bay, although you can't swim in the ocean because of all the old cars and stuff in the water. Ridge says they should be going. Phoebe gets her purse from the table and knocks over a coffee can, and a key falls out. Ridge asks what that is; Phoebe says it's the key to the Marlin, laughing at Nick's "high-tech security system." After picking up the can, she and Ridge turn to leave the boat. Ridge offers to follow in his car, but Phoebe is sure Shane isn't around. "And that's how it's going to stay," Ridge hopes.

Storm and Donna are taken back by Shane barging in.

Shane is in his car talking to his boss. He pleads with his boss for one more chance to prove himself and promises to have a big recycling deal delivered by the end of the day. After ending the call, he takes out a picture of Phoebe, kisses it and says, "This is for you, sweetheart. This is for us." He then goes to Forrester Creations and barges past Meriah into Nick's office, where Storm, Donna and Jackie are discussing the huge profits of the Jackie-M boutiques since their expansion. Shane aggressively starts his pitch but doesn't recognizes Storm, who recalls Shane from Taylor's trial and tells Shane to take a hike before they call security. Shane still tries to make his pitch to Jackie, who seems hesitant about speaking to Shane. Shane asks why they're treating him like a leper when he has... Just then, Nick walks in and says that he doesn't know what Shane has, but it's not an invitation into this office.

Jackie frets about Nick's violent reaction to Shane's visit.

Shane tells Nick that he just wants Nick's recycling business, but Nick isn't into dealing with trespassers and tells the others how he had to toss Mr. McGrath out of Taylor's house last night for harassing Phoebe. Shane insists he would never hurt Phoebe, because he loves her. Nick repeats his point from last night and warns that Shane will answer to him if he doesn't stay away from Phoebe. Shane accuses Nick of acting like some big shot and tells Nick and the others to go straight to hell! Fed up with Shane's antics, Nick punches him! He warns Shane one more time to stay away from Taylor and Phoebe, and he promises to put the drifter in cement shoes drop him in Santa Monica Bay if he fails to heed this warning. "If I don't get to you first," Shane retorts. Nick takes Shane and tosses him in the elevator, warning Shane one last time to stay away from Phoebe and from this building. When Nick returns to the office, Jackie asks Nick if he's OK. Nick states that Shane would be stupid to show his face again now that he's been warned. Nick recalls knowing men like that at sea who would just disappear without a trace if they made trouble. "Oh, really," Jackie frets, but Nick qualifies that he means it, since Shane has been warned.

Nick asks Brooke to let their relationship go.

Later, Brooke stops by to see Nick and guesses from his demeanor that he's had a bad day. She guesses that it's because Taylor isn't pregnant and says that she's sorry for him. But at the same time, she's not sorry for her relationship with him, because she has a family waiting for him that he really wants. Nick asks Brooke to go and explains that he is still committed to Taylor, even though she's not pregnant. In fact, their commitment is stronger than ever now, and they've even set a wedding date. Brooke thinks he's just trying to convince himself by saying things like that, but she can't believe he loves Taylor that much. She tearfully urges Nick to give his relationship with her another chance, because of the magical moments they shared, and because she knows he still loves her. Nick tells her that regardless of what they had and could have, he's going to marry Taylor and have her child. "For your sake, let us go," he pleads.

Ridge frets when he sees that Shane is calling Phoebe.

Ridge and Phoebe arrive at Forrester Originals and find that everyone has apparently gone. Phoebe supposes Ashley is still there, since her dad has plans with Ashley; Ridge agrees that Ashley is likely hard at work as usual. When Phoebe's cell phone rings, she hopes it's Rick, but she sees that it's Shane. Ridge tells her to put it on speaker, so she does and answers the call. They both listen as Shane pleads with Phoebe to understand that his life is falling apart and he's about to lose his job, so he needs her support one more time. He knows that her dad is filling her head with lies and make it seem like he's crazy, but their future is at stake. He asks, "You understand that, sweetheart?" Ridge takes the phone and orders Shane to leave Phoebe alone!

Phoebe tells Shane to leave.

Sitting in his car, Shane frets that he's trying to make good for Phoebe, but everyone else doesn't understand. He tells himself that he has to find a way to do this, for Phoebe's sake. He goes to Forrester Originals and finds Phoebe alone in Ridge's office. Phoebe is surprised to see him. Shane pleads with her to listen. He thinks she sees that he changed, and he did it all for her, so he needs her help to get her family's account. Frightened by Shane's obsessive declarations of love, Phoebe says that she doesn't think that will happen. Shane asks her not to say that, because he'll lose his job if she doesn't help him. He didn't want to scare her and he's sorry. Phoebe asks him to please leave and never come back. She doesn't want to call security, but she will if she has to. Shane declares, "I'm never gonna stop loving you, Phoebe" as he leaves. Phoebe calls security and tells them that Shane is leaving, and he's not to be allowed back in the building.