Wednesday, November 26, 2008, Episode #5449

Brooke loves Ridge's idea for a wedding location.

In their bedroom, Brooke asks Ridge if he decided on a venue for their wedding. When Ridge hesitates to respond, Brooke asks if something's wrong. He says that he's thinking about the choice his dad has to make between Stephanie and Donna, and he thinks Brooke knows which one he's hoping for. Brooke admits that they have their differences about Eric's love life, Rick, Taylor and Nick, but she's glad they can at least agree to disagree. Ridge compares them to Congress in that respect, and in the spirit of reaching across the aisle, he kisses her. Ridge then suggests that they remarry in Malibu, their "special place," with waves crashing over their heads. Brooke loves the idea and adds a suggestion of her own that they have a grand soiree for a rehearsal dinner, complete with red carpet and the press.

Ridge promises to make Brooke's dreams come true.

Ridge thinks that sounds pretty hefty, like this is her first wedding again. Brooke says that it is, sort of. She wants to think of it as her first and last wedding. Ridge tells her that he loves her and can't wait to make her his wife, and he promises that this time, it's forever. Brooke thinks having a beach wedding with a fancy rehearsal dinner will be so romantic. Ridge agrees that he wants this wedding to be everything she's ever dreamed of, vowing that the dream will come true this time. He kisses Brooke, who tells him how much she loves him and wants him. The duo kiss again, this time more intensely as they lie back on the bed in the throes of their passion.

Steffy tells Rick to stop using her.

At the Forrester rooftop Sky Lounge, Rick flashes back to his fight with Ridge that led to his plunge off the roof. A bevy of sexy models stop by to say hi and one of them sees that Rick's not using his cane. Rick says that he retired the cane in honor of today's shoot for the spring line. Speaking of the shoot, the models need to get downstairs to get ready, so Rick tells them to "break a leg" and says he'll see them down there. As the models leave, Steffy comes up to work out. Trying to flirt, Rick playfully asks if she's looking for him. Steffy groans that his attempts to charm her won't work, since she knows what he's doing and thinks it's sick. As Steffy lies down on a bench and lifts some weights, Rick stands nearby. Steffy accuses him of trying to use her to get back at her dad, just like he did with Phoebe. Rick offers to spot her or to give her a shoulder rub to relax her. As he bends down and starts to rub her shoulders, Steffy yanks on his hands to push them away from her. Rick asks what it will take to get through her to her. Steffy tells him to stopping trying to use her, but Rick claims that he's really attracted to her. Steffy doesn't buy that, since she believes he's just using her to get back at her dad. She thinks he must have knocked something loose when he fell, since he's not the same guy he used to be.

Rick pleads his case with Steffy.

Rick brushes off Steffy's comments and claims to be hypnotized by her lips. Steffy tells him that he's the last person she'd be interested in given that he hates her dad, dated her mom and her sister and sent her boyfriend away. She challenges him to admit that he has issues with women. Rick says he has issues with one woman, but Steffy finds it creepy that he jumped from Phoebe to Ashley Abbott to Taylor, and now he wants to get back at Ridge. Rick sarcastically suggests that she imagine how she'd feel after getting thrown off a roof. Steffy asks if that means he's admitting she's right, but Rick insists that she has it all wrong. He tells her that he had something amazing with Phoebe, but Ridge took that away, just like he later took Taylor away. He laments that Ridge has been walking all over him since he was a kid. Steffy thinks he's exaggerating and asks if he's trying to break up her dad and Brooke as payback for what he thinks Ridge did to him. Rick offers that his mom and her dad have been married before, but those marriages went bust because those two are just incompatible, like poison, and he doesn't see that changing. He doesn't want to see his mom hurt again, which is why he intends to do anything he can to stop Ridge.

In his office, an apoplectic Eric fumes as he wonders how Donna could betray him. He orders Thorne to bring Donna there immediately. Thorne doesn't think that's a good idea, since Donna could use the illegal camera against him if he confronts her with it, but Eric insists on talking to Donna now. Once Thorne leaves, Eric picks up his wedding photo and drops it on the ground, causing the frame to smash into little pieces.

Thorne tells his mom not to give up hope.

At the Forrester mansion, Stephanie sits on the couch and looks at a photo of her and Eric. She wonders if she should pack all her things or if she should leave some mementos of herself behind. Deciding that Eric has probably made his choice, she sighs, "If he wants her, let him have her." Thorne drops by and tells his mom to stop packing. Stephanie tells him that she doesn't want to be there when Eric returns with Donna, but Thorne has a hunch that Eric might not be coming back with Donna. Stephanie doesn't see how that can be given the kissing she saw last night, but Thorne notes that he saw Eric earlier and advises his mom not to give up on Eric just yet. Stephanie asks if he knows something she doesn't. He explains that he thinks Eric now sees the true Donna and realizes that Donna will never be as loyal and true as Stephanie. Stephanie thanks him for his support, but Thorne tells her that she and Eric belong together. He has to get back to the office, but he suggests that she wait there for Eric. "He's going to need you tonight," Thorne warns. Stephanie thanks him again. After they exchange "I love you's", Thorne leaves. Stephanie looks at the photo of her and Eric again and wonders if Thorne might be right.

Eric tells Donna that their marriage is over.

Donna arrives in Eric's office and asks why he wanted to see her. She hopes this is the call she's been waiting for. With a bitter look in his eyes, Eric coldly tells her that it's not what she thinks and informs her that their marriage is over. Stunned, Donna asks if he's serious. He tells her that he is and instructs her to go to the house and get her things moved out by the time he comes home. Donna assumes his family pressured him into this sudden change of heart, but Eric tells her that this is about her betraying him with her "punk boyfriend" and not about his family. Confused, Donna asks what he means and reaches out to him, but Eric pulls away and orders her not to deny it. Donna refuses to leave, since she still thinks this is his family talking. Eric tells her to stop acting so innocent, since he feels like he never even knew her after witnessing her with another man. Donna begs him not to end things this way. She doesn't know why he's saying these things, but she'll do anything to prove her love, including calling her sister to vouch for her or getting down on her knees to beg. Eric orders her to stop acting like she's the one who's hurt, since he's the one who gave up his marriage and his family for her only to have her betray him. Angrily sweeping things off his desk, he fumes, "You ripped my heart out!" demanding to know what kind of a woman does that.

Stephanie wonders about what Thorne told her.

Back at the Forrester mansion, Stephanie thinks about what Thorne said to her. She calls Forrester to find out if Eric left, only to find out that he's still in his office with Donna. Hanging up the phone, she wonders if Thorne is reading this all wrong.

Two models get payoffs from Thorne for "standing in" for Owen and Donna.

Thorne goes into Owen's office and removes the video camera. There's a knock at the door, so Thorne puts the camera in a box and answers the door to let two models in; one is the guy Thorne thought looked like Owen, while the other is a blond woman who is the same height and build as Donna, and both are dressed in clothes similar to what Donna and Owen wore to the office today. The lookalike models ask how they did. Thorne commends them for a job well done and hands each one an envelope. "Remember," he cautions, "not a word about this to anyone... ever."