Thursday, July 26, 2007, Episode #5111

Ridge is in his office, on the phone with Constantine. He tries to get more information about Rick's "other woman," but Constantine can only remember that she was talking French since he erased the tape. As Ridge ends the call, Phoebe comes in and asks why he was late. When he tells her he was with Ashley, Phoebe is pleased for her dad.

Rick asks Ashley for a little more time.

Rick drops by the lab to tell Ashley about a meeting she missed and asks why she had to miss it. Ashley asks why he's so concerned and guesses it's because she's having sex and he isn't. Realizing she was with Ridge, Rick tries to be happy, although he warns her about Ridge again. Speaking of warnings, Ashley wants to warn Rick that she needs to come clean about their relationship to Ridge. Rick says he understands, but he asks for one favor: he needs just one more day to tell Phoebe, since they two of them have been going through something lately. Rick agrees to give him the one more day. They both agree that coming clean won't be easy, but it has to be done. Rick hugs Ashley and thanks her. Just then, Phoebe comes in, so Ashley excuses herself. As she leaves, she bids Rick, "Au revoir," which sparks a memory in Phoebe of the tape that Constantine played for her from Rick's voice mail.

Ridge flirts with Ashley.

Ashley stops to admire her new earrings in the mirror when Ridge sneaks up behind her. Ridge is pleased to see that she's wearing the earrings and flirts with the lovely chemist about where he can take her to show them off. He teases that he loves her sneaky side. Ashley prefers to call it her "private" side, leading Ridge to ask just what she thinks she has to keep private from him. Ashley tells him that there is something she's been meaning to talk about it, but Ridge suggests they table that for now and kisses from behind. Ashley gives in to his kisses for now.

Phoebe learns who Rick's "other woman" is.

Back in the lab, Rick tells Phoebe that he has to talk to her about something. He wants her to know that he's sorry about the other night. He feels like he kept pushing her when she refused to make love, and that made him be honest with himself. Phoebe says that he doesn't have to apologize, but Rick explains that he thought about his behavior that night and realized that he was asking himself the wrong questions. He sees now that he shouldn't fret that sex has to be part of their relationship, because he knows how strong his feelings for her are, and he knows that he's happy with her. So if the only way for him to stay happy and stay with her is not to have sex to her, then he's willing to do it. Phoebe thanks him for his honesty and thinks they have something else to talk about it. She brings up the subject of his "other woman"; she knows she didn't want to talk about it before, but she thinks that's because she was scared that knowing would make her compare herself to that woman. But after what Rick just told her, he proved that he loves her for who she is, so those fears are gone, so she thinks it's time to talk about this woman. She guesses it had to be someone Rick knows, probably someone who works here, given how quickly Rick hooked up with this woman after their break-up, and she now thinks she knows who it is. "It's Ashley, isn't it?" She asks. Rick confirms that it is.

Brooke plays catch-up with her sister.

In Nick's office, Donna tries to call Child Services to explain what happened the night she left, to no avail. After hanging up the phone, Donna apologizes to Brooke for leaving the kids alone, but Brooke doesn't want to dwell on it. For now, she wants to focus on her work and prove that she's a fit mother. Even so, she can't help but fume at the way Stephanie has insinuated herself into this whole custody situation. She tells Donna how Stephanie had her removed from the Forrester mansion grounds last night. Donna isn't surprised that once again, Ridge is letting Stephanie do what she wants and assures Brooke that she can count on her. Donna then makes a quick exit for lunch.

Thorne tells his mother that he's trying to move on.

Meanwhile, Stephanie finds Thorne at the Bikini Beach bar, since his secretary said he was there. Thorne says he's just having an early lunch here, since he thought no one would find him here. Stephanie asks how his blind date last night went. Thorne says that he wanted his date to be Darla, but no one can replace his late wife. Still, he knows he can't keep working and crying on other's shoulders, so he's trying something else. Stephanie sees that Thorne is "drinking" his lunch. Thorne asks her to leave, so she does, but not before taking his car keys. After she leaves, Thorne downs some more pills with a drink from the bar.

Donna confronts Stephanie.

When Stephanie arrives home, she gets a visit from Donna, who wants to see Brooke's kids. Stephanie tells her that Felicia took the kids, but even if they were here, she would not let Donna see them. Donna isn't surprised given how Stephanie treated Brooke last night. Stephanie laughs that Brooke went crying to her little sister, but Donna insists Brooke didn't send her. Stephanie tells Donna to focus on subjects she knows, like cleavage and sex, but Donna asserts that she knows all about the subject of Stephanie. "Two generations of my family have been scarred by you. And I am here to tell you, there will not be a third," Donna fumes, telling Stephanie not to insult her.

Stephanie isn't afraid of Donna.

Stephanie says she wouldn't even have to speak to Donna if she'd leave. Donna warns that she won't let Stephanie break up her family, but Stephanie isn't afraid of Donna. "Don't say you weren't warned," Donna says, advising that she won't be so easy to push off a balcony. "I think you'd bounce," Stephanie quips, calling Donna a slut just like her sister. "I'm finished with you Logans," Stephanie gloats as she closes the door on Donna.