Tuesday, February 06, 2007, Episode #4992

Nick boasts that he has the Forresters where he wants them.

In Nick's office at Forrester Creations, Stephanie pressures Yvette for answers. She hops Yvette isn't considering selling Nick's inferior product over Ridge and Eric's and asks what's going on. "Nothing, thanks to you!" Nick counters before thanking Yvette for listening and for doing what's right. Stephanie invites Yvette to dinner, but Yvette says she has to catch her plane. She wishes Stephanie the best and leaves. Nick invites Stephanie to leave his office, but La Forrester wants to first comment on how desperate Nick must be to sneak Yvette into town for a secret meeting. Jackie charges that Stephanie will soon be the desperate one, but Stephanie doesn't see how that can be if none of the distributors will carry Forrester Creations product. Nick asks if Stephanie wants to hear him admit that no one is buying from him, Stephanie thinks she just heard Nick's swan song, and it sounded quite sweet. She then leaves. Alone Which is just what we want," Nick boasts.

Backstage at Forrester Originals, Phoebe tells Rick that she's not some toy for him to play with, and she won't be treated like one. Rick is still puzzled by her reaction, especially since he thought the two of them had fun last night. Phoebe tells him that she knows more than he thinks, but Rick has no idea what she means. He hopes Phoebe isn't angry at him. If she is, she explains, it's out of frustration over the way he irritates her the way a big brother would.

Rick tells his mother that Ridge threatened him.

Rick makes his way to the main office, where he flashes back to Ridge's threat at the party last night. Brooke comes in and thanks him for singing at the party last night. Rick is glad to see her happy, but he doesn't know if Ridge feels the same way. Brooke asks what he means, so Rick tells her how Ridge threatened to kill him if he ever crossed the line with Phoebe. Brooke can't believe that Ridge would say that; Rick assures her that Ridge said it, although he doesn't think he's in any danger. Brooke explains to Rick how protective Ridge has been of Phoebe because of what happened with Shane McGrath. After filling Rick in about Shane, Brooke says that Ridge's issues with Shane don't give him the right to threaten her son, Rick offers to move out rather than be the source of tension in his mother's home, but Brooke won't hear of it. She sees nothing wrong with Phoebe having a little crush on Rick and thinks her son and Ridge's daughter SHOULD get to know each other, and she plans to tell Ridge just that. She promises Rick that she will straighten this out.

Stephanie tells Ridge about her encounter with Yvette.

Meanwhile, backstage from the showroom, Stephanie finds Ridge and tells him of her visit to Forrester Creations. She tells him how she ran into Yvette St. Julienne there and shares her suspicion that Nick was trying to make a business offer to Yvette. Ridge bets the offer fell on deaf ears. Stephanie admits that Yvette said she wouldn't sell Nick's progress. However, she can't shake the feeling that Yvette was hesitant, like Yvette was dodging her questions. Ridge doesn't think it matters if Yvette won't carry Nick's offerings, but Stephanie still can't help thinking that something was off about their old friend from Paris.

Phoebe is fascinated by her grandma's story.

After Ridge leaves, Phoebe comes backstage again. Stephanie sees her and commends her granddaughter on her performance with Rick last night. She then asks Phoebe if she's sure she wants to get into the family business; Phoebe says she is, as she loves this work. Stephanie asks how Shane is; Phoebe says he's fine, but she doesn't think he's "the one" man for her. Stephanie assures Phoebe that she will find "the one" in time, just like she found Eric years ago. Phoebe asks Stephanie how she knew Eric was "the one" for her. Stephanie explains, "I was ga-ga over him." she admits it seemed weird and silly, but that's the way love is, in that it happens when you least expect it. Stephanie then changes the subject and asks Phoebe how she thinks Rick is; Phoebe replies that Rick obviously misses his life in Paris, although he's a nice guy as far as brothers go. Stephanie explains that Rick blames her and Ridge for losing Forrester, but Phoebe sees Nick as the bad guy in that regard. And here they are at Forrester Originals, Stephanie states, predicting that Phoebe's life will change as she debuts as a model and makes her journey into womanhood. Phoebe admits it makes her a bit nervous. Stephanie reminds Phoebe that she is her granddaughter and she is a Forrester, and she should never forget that. Stephanie then sees that it's time for her to take Pam to the airport, so she and Phoebe say their goodbyes for now.

At Forrester Creations, Jackie and Nick celebrate their signing of St. Julienne. Now that they have locked the Forresters out of Europe, Nick states, they only have to get Harvey Golden to sell them the East Coast. Jackie says that Golden is as elusive as Howard Hughes, but Nick assures her that he is on it. Nick's assistant then buzzes him that Rick Forrester is here to see him. Nick says to send him in. Jackie leaves so Nick and Rick can talk. Rick tells Nick that he wanted to thank him for treating the employees at Forrester International so well, especially a single mother named Maria who he gave a raise and a bonus to. Nick praises Rick for the work he did over there with the staff at International, stating that he plans to be there for them just as Rick was. Rick just wishes his future step-father was singing his praises that way. Nick thinks Ridge would have to be crazy about Rick, since Rick is Brooke's son, but Rick then tells him about Ridge's threat to kill him if he crossed the line with Phoebe. "Forrester threatened to kill you?" Nick asks. Rick counters that HE is a Forrester while Ridge isn't. He thinks he and Nick have something in common, since Ridge sees them both as threats. Nick asks Rick why Ridge sees him as the enemy; Rick tells him about the party, but assures Nick that Phoebe is just a kid. Nick points out that Rick and Phoebe are not blood related, anyway, but he thinks Rick will be fine if he acts like a gentleman. Rick says that he still thinks Nick was good for his mom. Nick appreciates that and promises to always be in Rick's corner should Rick continue to not see eye to eye with Ridge.

Ridge doesn't want Phoebe and Rick living under one roof.

Brooke finds Ridge in the main office at Forrester Originals, thinking. She's glad she has the chance to talk to him, since she just heard about his threat to Rick. Ridge says that he meant it; Brooke is horrified that he would say that to her son, but Ridge assures her that he didn't man it literally. He just wanted to make sure Rick got his point and stayed away from Phoebe. Then why did he say it that way? Brooke asks. Ridge says that he couldn't say nothing about Rick's interest in his daughter, but Brooke thinks there is a difference between saying nothing and threatening her son with homicide. She reminds him that Rick and Phoebe are their children. Ridge reminds her that she was the one who pointed out that Phoebe had a crush on Rick; he explains that he knows how guys think, and he wanted to stop this before it became a problem. Brooke doesn't see the harm in a little crush, especially since she and Ridge will soon be married. She doesn't want her family to be living in a home full of threats and ultimatums. Ridge says he'll ease up on the threats, but he still won't support a relationship between Rick and Phoebe. Brooke reminds him that Rick and Phoebe are going to be brother and sister, but Ridge reminds her that there will be no blood relation there, so he's prefer if Rick and Phoebe didn't live under the same roof.

Ridge reminds Brooke that Rick has already badmouthed him and his mother about the loss of Forrester Creations. Broke thinks he is just speaking his mind to voice his frustrations, but Ridge reminds her that Rick doesn't know the whole story. Brooke still refuses to tell Rick about Nick and Bridget. Ridge points out how Rick still puts Nick on a pedestal, but Brooke reminds him that he's the one she's with, not Nick. Ridge tells her that she should understand his feelings if she respects him. He states, "I want Rick to keep his hands off Phoebe. I mean it. No more star gazing until 2am, no more little duets, or I'm going to have to step in. Is that understood?"