Tuesday, March 25, 2008, Episode #5275

Katie gives Donna some advice.

At Forrester Creations, Katie gives Donna the lowdown on an interview she set up with Jarrett from EYE ON FASHION about Donna and Eric's wedding. Looking at herself in the mirror, Donna freaks out that she's too pale to be photographed for the interview, so it's a good thing she scheduled an appointment at a tanning salon. Katie goes over the rest of Donna's itinerary for the next few days, but Donna keeps looking in the mirror and is clearly distracted. Donna states that she's just frazzled about the wedding, since she wants to be perfect for her big day with her honey bear. Since this wedding is the biggest event of her life, she intends to spend every spare minute between now and the wedding in the salon, the gym or the spa so she can look her best walking down the aisle. "Fair enough," Katie concedes, "but if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Eric tells Pam to stop baiting Donna.

Pam is by her desk, giving recipe advice to a friend on the phone. When Eric approaches, Pam ends her call and offers some chocolate pecan fudge, but Eric politely declines and asks Pam if they can talk about her recent incident with Donna and the toy gun. Pam insists that was all in fun, but Eric doesn't see the fun in it. He tells Pam that he sees how she's trying to get under Donna's skin, and it has to stop. While he enjoys having Pam working here, he can't keep her on if this behavior continues. Pam apologizes, suggesting that Donna is so superficial that she doesn't have much of a sense of humor. She tells Eric that she's grateful for the chance to work here, but it just breaks her heart to see him throw his marriage to Stephanie away for someone like "Donna Ho-gan." At least Brooke had some brains, Pam kids, but Donna has nothing upstairs. Eric tells her to stop, but Pam states that she just feels he can do better than Donna. Eric tells her flat out that she has to respect his decision. Despite her opinion, he thinks Donna is anything but a dumb, superficial airhead. Eric then leaves to go to the cutting room; once he's gone, Pam peeks at the company calendar and sees that Donna has an appointment at the Golden Glow tanning salon. "Not superficial? We'll see about that!" Pam laughs.

Pam stops by the tanning salon.

Pam goes down to the tanning salon and pretends to be interested in their services. She asks the attendant how the spray tanning works. The attendant explains how someone seeking a tan strips naked and climbs into a private misting booth where they spray on an instant tan. The girl asks Pam if she wants to try. Pam says she does, but she wants to wait for her friend to arrive before going in. Soon after, Donna arrives for her appointment. The attendant quickly explains the tanning process to Donna, who is unaware that Pam is hiding around the corner, watching.

Donna arrives for her tanning appointment.

The attendant leads Donna to the misting booth and asks how dark Donna wants to be. Since Donna only wants a faint tan with a healthy glow, the attendant sets the dial on one and gives Donna instructions on what to do once she's inside the booth. Donna asks how long it lasts, since she sometimes gets claustrophobic. It lasts less than a minute, the attendant assures, since the process is super simple and easy. Donna steps into the booth and hands her towel to the attendant, who closes Donna in the booth. Just as the attendant starts the process, Pam comes over and complains that the shower in back doesn't have any hot water. The attendant goes to take a look, leaving Pam alone outside Donna's misting booth. Pam turns the dial on the booth up to 10 and puts a wedge under the door to hold it close. Inside the booth, Donna assumes the process is done when the nozzles stop spraying, but then the nozzles adjust themselves and turn themselves back on, spraying Donna even harder. Seeing that the sprayers won't turn off, Donna panics and tries to get out, only to find that the door won't open. "Let me out of here!" she nervously sobs as the nozzles continue to spray at her.

At Forrester Creations, Brooke urges Ridge to believe that Taylor is seducing Rick in some sick attempt to get revenge on her. She asks Ridge to help her with this, but he scoffs at the notion and suggests that they just let the situation play out. Brooke asks if he's thought about Phoebe will react to the idea of her mother being with Rick. Ridge reluctantly agrees to talk to Taylor, so he gives Brooke a goodbye kiss and gets on his way.

Rick makes plans with Taylor.

At the Bel Air mansion, Taylor is on the phone with a patient when Rick drops by. After Taylor ends her call, Rick kisses her and asks how she is. She admits she feels a bit breathless from being swept off her feet. Rick quips that he likes his women that way, but Taylor states that she's serious and thanks him for being a gentleman last night. Rick confesses that his only regret about last night is that he didn't stay the night. He tells Taylor that he meant what he said last night and asks if he can come back later to spend some time with her, assuming she doesn't have plans. When Taylor confirms that she has no plans, Rick offers to bring takeout from Cafe Russe so they can eat it here in front of a romantic fire. Taylor likes the idea. Rick promises a memorable, unforgettable evening.

Brooke tries to talk to Rick.

Later that day, Brooke is still in Ridge's office when Rick drops in. Seeing his mom, Rick tries to duck out, but Brooke sees him and asks him to stay and talk. Rick tells her that he gets that she disapproves of his being with Taylor, and he doesn't want to fight with her about it anymore. Brooke says that she doesn't want to fight, either, but she needs him to understand why she, as his mother, sees so many things wrong with his relationship with Taylor. "It has to stop," she implores. Rick reminds her that he's a grown man, so she'll just have to accept his feelings for Taylor or get used to them. Brooke insists that she can never get used to the idea of his being involved with Taylor, especially since she believes that Taylor is only doing this to get back at her. Rick assumes that she just doesn't understand what's going on, but Brooke says that she does understand, and so does Ridge. That's why Ridge is on his way over to Taylor's right now to talk some sense into her. Rick asks why she just can't leave Taylor alone. Brooke says she's doing this because she cares. "If you cared about me, you would just back off," he states, asserting that he's so sure about what he and Taylor share that they have plans for a romantic dinner tonight. Brooke asks why he would do that. Not that it's any of her business, Rick retorts, but he's hoping that he and Taylor can be together in every way possible after tonight. Brooke urges him not to go through with his plans, but Rick states that he's a grown man who wants Taylor, and he hopes that Taylor wants him, too.

Ridge talks to Taylor.

When Ridge arrives at the Bel Air mansion, Taylor thinks she knows why he's here. She guesses that Brooke hysterically told him how upset she was and sent him over to deal with her. Ridge explains that Brooke is just concerned about her son, but Taylor attests that there's nothing to be concerned about. Ridge tells her that he understands why she's upset with Brooke, but he can't help wondering if she's just acting out with this ridiculous situation with Rick. Taylor tells him that it's not ridiculous, because she and Rick share a strong bond, and Ridge can either accept that or get out her house right now. Ridge asks her to consider how devastated Phoebe would be to find out that her first love and her own mother are involved. Taylor states that there's nothing to find out, but Ridge points out that she's old enough to be Rick's mother. Taylor accuses him of just acting as the voice of Brooke's agenda with his "concerns" and refuses to listen, but Ridge urges her to see how wrong this is. What's wrong, Taylor fires back, is the fact that she comes home every night to an empty house filled with memories of good relationships gone bad. Rick is the only one who has given a damn about her lately, she asserts, so she can't believe that Ridge would come here, to her own home, and tell her that it's wrong to have someone on her side.

Taylor makes a promise to Ridge.

Ridge again asks Taylor to consider Phoebe, but Taylor points out that Phoebe broke up with Rick months ago. Even so, Ridge suspects Phoebe won't be happy about this. Taylor asks Ridge to stop treating this like something sordid. She knows Ridge doesn't like Rick, but she thinks it's selfish for her to share his feelings when Rick has been nothing but kind and gentle to her. She reminds Ridge that Brooke took everything from her, including her marriages to him and to Nick, so she thinks it's only fair that she's now bonding with Rick, the only man in the world Brooke can't seduce away. Yes, she concedes, she kissed Rick, and she even enjoyed it. But she's sure that Rick only kissed her as a supportive friend in order to make a point with Brooke, and not because of romantic feelings between them. Just then, Rick arrives and starts to open the door. Hearing Taylor talking, he eavesdrops as she assures Ridge, "I'm not in love with him if that's what you're trying to ask." She asks Ridge if he really thinks she wants Brooke as a mother-in-law. Ridge asks her to promise that she won't let this go any further. Taylor promises that her relationship with Rick won't go beyond friendship, "I won't cross that line ever," she vows. Hearing that last remark, a dejected Rick closes the door and stands outside, holding the flowers he bought for Taylor in his hand.

Felicia and Ashley arrive in Genoa City.

And today, on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, the big launch party for RESTLESS STYLE is in full swing. As noted in the last few episodes of B&B, Ashley and Felicia attend the party and are greeted by Ashley's brother Jack and his wife Sharon. Jack tells Felicia that he hopes to change her dad's mind about advertising in his new magazine, and Felicia tells him that she's definitely interested. Ashley and Felicia mingle with the crowd and get excited when they hear that rock star Danny Romalotti will be singing tonight. Jack's partner, Nick Newman, assures the ladies that Danny is there, he jokes that Danny will only sing if Forrester gives then the account.