Tuesday, July 03, 2007, Episode #5094

Ridge advises Phoebe not to let Rick keep her from her music.

Phoebe is sitting by her dad's pool, talking with Rick on the phone. She invites Rick to join her for a swim, but he doesn't think it's a good idea if her dad is around. Phoebe assures him that her dad will come around, so he agrees to come by after he makes one stop. Ridge returns from his date with Ashley and overhears the end of Phoebe's phone call; he asks if "Casanova" Rick deigned to make time for her. Phoebe asks him where he was and is pleased when he tells her about his date with Ashley; she's glad he found the kind of classy, honest lady he deserves. Ridge thinks she deserves someone like that, too, but he doesn't think Rick is that person given how Rick cheated on her. Phoebe reminds him that she accepted that Rick was seeing someone after they broke up, and she moved on; she wants Ridge to do the same, but he loves her too much to ignore how Rick cavorted with, and possibly slept with, another woman. Phoebe asks him to please drop this. Ridge points out how much she respects Ashley and suggests that she follow Ashley's lead; he doesn't want her to depend on any man, least of all Rick. Not wanting to fight anymore, Phoebe tells her dad about Rick's idea for a singing "duel" with Constantine. When Ridge hears the terms of the competition, he reminds Phoebe that Forrester Originals will always be there for her, but a chance at a musical career might not be. He urges her not to let anyone, including Rick, stand between her and her music. Phoebe wishes she could do that, but she loves Rick, so his opinion matters to her. Since Rick will be there soon, she excuses herself to get some food.

Rick checks in with Constantine.

On the way to Ridge's house, Rick stops by Constantine's studio, where the singer is mixing the tracks he and Phoebe laid down earlier for their duet. Rick wants to talk about their competition, as he wants to be able to lay down fresh tracks for his duet with Phoebe, including having access to the same caliber of musicians that Constantine used on his song. Constantine assures Rick that he'll live up to his word, because he's confident that his duet with Phoebe will win. He suggests that Rick can run back to his "little chickie on the side" after Rick loses. Rick accuses Constantine of loving the chance to rub that in his face; Constantine admits that he loves it, although he doesn't love the way Rick cheated on Phoebe. Rick accuses Constantine of wanting Phoebe for himself. Constantine predicts that Phoebe's eyes will eventually be opened to the "real" Rick once she dumps Rick, although he bets that Rick will turn to his secret mystery woman when that happens.

Brooke drops by Ashley's beach house to talk.

Brooke drops by Ashley's beach house to talk. Ashley bets that Brooke is upset about her [Ashley's] date with Ridge tonight. Brooke points out that she shares history and a child with Ridge, and she hopes Ashley will not interfere with that. Ashley says that she wouldn't do anything to interfere with Ridge and Brooke raising their child together, but that doesn't mean that she'll stand aside where Ridge is concerned. Brooke hopes Ashley won't turn this into a battle and reminds Ashley how complex it is to be involved with a man who has a child with another woman. Ashley doesn't want a battle, either, but she also knows that Ridge is genuinely interested in her. Brooke asks Ashley to give Ridge some space to sort out his life, but Ashley thinks Brooke is the one who needs a break to sort her life out, given all Brooke's erratic behavior of late. Brooke admits that she made some mistakes, and she wants to right the mistakes she made with Ridge. Ashley wishes Brooke all the best. "As long as the best doesn't come between you and Ridge?" Brooke asks. Ashley points out that it's getting late; Brooke gets the hint and turns to leave, hoping that Ashley can take a hint as well when it's her turn. After Brooke leaves, Ashley takes out her cell phone and sends a text message to Rick, asking him to please call her ASAP.

Phoebe opens up to Rick.

Rick arrives at Ridge's pool and gives Phoebe a kiss. Phoebe asks if he brought a swimsuit. He laughs that he forgot his suit, so he guesses that'll have to go skinny dipping. When Phoebe informs him that there's a swimsuit in the pool house, he asks her to help him put it on. Phoebe thinks he needs to cool off, but Rick counters that she's the one who needs to go in the pool and sweeps her off her feet, laying her down on a chaise lounge. After they go for a swim, Rick tells Phoebe that she looks like his little mermaid. Phoebe invites him to try some strawberries, but Rick would rather look at her right now. Phoebe gets him to try a strawberry and asks where he was when they talked earlier. He tells her that he went to check in with Constantine about their duet. Phoebe is still surprised that he challenged Constantine, but Rick points out that it was the clip of the two of them that Insomnia that led Constantine to seek her out. Now he just wants to find the perfect song for their duet. Phoebe says she'll be happy no matter who wins, since she has a great guy, her music and her job at Forrester Originals. She thinks Ashley has done a great job with the fragrance, but she still wishes her dad would lighten up. Rick isn't surprised that Ridge is being a pain again. Phoebe explains to Rick that her dad is still worried about his [Rick's] involvement with this other woman.

Constantine sees that he and Ridge want the same thing.

Ridge drops by Constantine's studio. Constantine invites "Mr. Forrester" in, but Ridge asks the singer to call him by his first name, as they both have a common goal of seeing Phoebe focus on someone other than Rick. He also hopes Constantine will keep what they're about to talk about just between them. Constantine agrees that Rick is no good for Phoebe, and he had hoped Phoebe would see that once he played the message for her. What message? Ridge asks. Constantine tells Ridge about the voice mail message he overheard when Rick left his phone in the studio. He explains that he made a copy of the message, which was from some woman with a sexy voice who wanted to talk to Rick "about last night," so he could play it for Phoebe. Ridge asks what happened to that recording. Constantine responds that he destroyed it as Phoebe asked. He guesses from the fact that Phoebe wanted the recording erased that she has forgiven Rick. Ridge is sorry Constantine doesn't have that recording anymore; he thinks he might have recognized the woman's voice, which would have given him something tangible to present to Phoebe so she would steer clear of "that punk" Rick. Constantine is sure he'll beat Rick in the competition, but what he really hopes is for Phoebe to realize that the world doesn't revolve around Rick Forrester. Ridge says that he wants things over between Phoebe and Rick, before Phoebe she gets in any deeper. "Then we want the same things," Constantine responds.

Ashley considers telling Ridge about Rick.

Rick assures Phoebe that she has nothing to worry about, but she can't help thinking about the other woman. But even though she can't stop thinking about the woman, she doesn't want to know who it was, so she asks Rick to promise that she will never have to meet this other woman. Rick promises and suggests that they stop talking about it. Phoebe agrees and goes to the pool house to change. While she's gone, Rick checks his messages and finds the text message from Ashley, so he call Ashley up.