Monday, February 19, 2007, Episode #5001

C.J. is back at Insomnia for karaoke night.

Phoebe drops by Insomnia for coffee with her friend Madison and is surprised to see that Insomnia's owner, C.J. Garrison, is in town. C.J. greets Phoebe, who introduces him to Madison. C.J. finds the young ladies a table and excuses himself for a minute. Madison remarks that C.J.'s cute and asks if he's seeing anyone; Phoebe replies that he's usually busy shuttling between his coffee houses, but he came back to L.A. when his mom took ill and took advantage of the chance to check out the competition from a new nearby coffee house. He even moved karaoke night to tonight to compete with the new coffee house. Phoebe gets nervous when she sees Rick come in and greet his old buddy C.J, - and she gets even more jittery when she sees Rick approaching their table! Phoebe invites Rick to join her and Madison as C.J. takes to the stage to get karaoke night started. After warning the audience to have their ear plugs ready, he introduces the first act, Casey (played by one of B&B's production assistants).

Rick sings a duet with Phoebe.

Rick asks Phoebe if she's having fun; she says she is now, even though the rest of the crowd isn't, since they're getting restless listening to Casey's awful singing. Rick tells C.J. to get that guy off the stage, which leads C.J. to suggest that his buddy get up there to take Casey's place. When Rick resists, C.J. asks the ladies for some help. Madison suggests that Rick do another duet with Phoebe, like they did at his mom's engagement party. Rick is ticked off that Phoebe told her friend about that, but hearing about the duet is all C.J. needs to grab Rick and Phoebe and usher them on stage. After telling Casey that his 15 minutes of fame are up, C.J. tells the crowd that the real deal is stepping up now and introduces Rick and Phoebe, who wow the crowd with their rendition of the old Sonny and Cher classic "I Got You, Babe." The audience clearly sees the chemistry between Rick and Phoebe and gives them a rousing round of applause.

Phoebe doesn't understand why Rick won't give her a ride.

Later, rain pours down around Rick as he leaves Insomnia and bolts for his beat up pickup truck. As he starts the truck, he hears a knock at the window; it's Phoebe, who comments that the truck looks ancient; Rick tells her not to knock his classic wheels. Phoebe asks if she can get a ride home with him, since Madison hooked up with some guy she likes. Rick doesn't think that's a good idea, but Phoebe gets in the passenger seat and suggests they get going before the bottom drops out - from the sky or from the truck! Rick repeats his objections, leading Phoebe to ask why he's so worried.

Brooke is at home reading a review of Forrester Creations in EYE ON FASHION that slams her sister Donna's performance as Nick's spokesperson. She tries to call Nick, but he's on the other line, so she decides to go in person.

Clarke worries about how Donna will react to the latest reviews.

At Forrester Creations, Storm and Clarke read the same review. Clarke is pleased with the favorable reviews of his designs, and he and Storm are both glad the press recognizes their risky expansion of Jackie M, especially since Clarke fears Nick might be moving too fast. However, they both fear Donna's reaction when she returns from her publicity trip to New York and sees the negative remarks about her effectiveness as their spokesperson. Right on cue, Donna comes in, thrilled at how well she thinks things went in New York. But her bubble bursts when she sees the copy of EYE ON FASHION in Clarke's hands, grabs it and reads the review. She's stunned and despondent at the reviewer's claim that she doesn't have what it takes to be lead anything, since she'll never be in the same league as her sister, Brooke! "Screw them," she says in despair; she doesn't care what the press thinks as long as Nick believes in her.

Storm tries to reassure Donna.

After Clarke leaves, Storm tells his sister not to take the review too seriously, but she frets that she's still living in her sister's shadow. She thought things would change when Nick gave her this chance, but now she fears that she'll always be compared to Brooke, no matter what she does. She throws down the magazine in disgust, spits Brooke's name out and storms out of the room in tears.

Nick invites Taylor for another evening at his place.

Meanwhile, Nick reads the review in his office while going over his schedule with his assistant Mariah. Mariah leaves when Taylor drops by to talk to Nick. Taylor wants him to know that she had a great time on Valentine's Day, but she wants things to be clear between them before their relationship moves forward. She admits that she's been thinking about what they said last night, and she's not really sure where they stand. Nick thinks she should focus more on their kisses, but Taylor explains that she can't help but wonder in the cold light of day if they may be moving a bit too fast. Given how her past two relationships have gone, she thinks she should slow down. Nick says he understands, but he still would like her to come over to his place tonight. Taylor says that she was serious with what she just said, but Nick says he's serious, too. He thinks things will be easier if she tells him if she had a good time last night. Taylor looks at him and says it was one of her favorite Valentine's Days ever thanks to him. Just then, Brooke pokes her head in and asks if she's interrupting.

Brooke tells Nick that she still cares about him.

Nick walks Taylor to the door and agrees to see her at his house at 9 PM. She gives him a goodbye kiss that clearly bothers Brooke. Nick then asks Brooke why she was trying to reach him. She points out the magazine review and asks if he still has faith in Donna after she was panned so badly. Nick says that he does. Brooke asks if he similarly has faith in Clarke, who will need more than a few kind words to win the industry over. Nick guesses that she's here to ask about Jackie M carrying Forrester Originals and says that he hasn't decided yet. Brooke says that the Forresters doubt he'll agree; he reminds her that the Forresters are his competitors. Brooke asks if that goes for her, too; she tells him that she still cares about him, both personally and professionally, which is why she's worried that he and Taylor are both getting together on the rebound. Just then, Taylor returns, having forgotten her purse, and she's quite intrigued by the way her relationship with Nick is driving Brooke up the wall!

Taylor wonders why Brooke is bothered by her relationship with Nick.

Nick is called downstairs for an emergency, so he leaves Brooke and Taylor alone in his office. Brooke tells Taylor that it doesn't drive her up the wall to think about Nick's relationship with Taylor. She just doesn't want to see Nick hurt. Taylor thinks it's more like Brooke selfishly wants a life with Ridge while keeping Nick on a string; in fact, she thinks she would see Brooke's picture in the dictionary next to the word "selfish." Brooke says she just wants Nick and Taylor to see what she sees. Taylor surmises that Brooke sees a woman becoming close to a man Brooke is still not over - and because that woman is her... Brooke admits that she is worried that Nick is getting involved with a woman who just claimed to be in love with Thorne. Taylor retorts that Thorne asked her to move on, since he needed to do what was best for Aly thanks to Brooke's daughter Hope, and he didn't want her putting her life on hold. So now she's moving on, and she thinks she can do that by getting to know Nick better. Brooke asks if that means she should keep her distance from Nick; Taylor points out that Brooke chose another man. Brooke counters, "Your ex-husband, and that's why you've taken mine." Taylor thinks that's ridiculous. Brooke rethinks her accusation, since she's sure Taylor knows how close she is to Nick. Taylor asks Brooke when the wedding to Ridge is; when Brooke says they haven't set the date, Taylor wonders if there's trouble in paradise - not that Brooke would admit it if there was.