Monday, April 13, 2009, Episode #5540

Rick tries to reassure Steffy.

In his office, Rick vents to Steffy about her dad's reaction to their decision to get married at Point Dume. Steffy asks why he was so surprised by her father's reaction. When Rick admits he guessed Ridge might be upset, Steffy asks if that's why he suggested it. Rick explains that he thought getting married there would help their families heal, but he's willing to get married anywhere she wants. Steffy says that she doesn't want to make things worse by breaking her dad's heart. Noting how quickly they got together, she asks Rick if they can trust their feelings for each other. "Is it always going to be this way?" she wonders. Rick tells her that there will always be issues between him and Ridge since he spent most of his adult life in Ridge's shadow. He admits that made him do things he regrets, but he assures her that their relationship is not one of those things. Steffy says that she believes him. Enough to let him help pick out their China pattern? he asks. Steffy's surprised he wants to do that, but she thinks that's one of the best parts of planning a wedding, so she suggests they go online to Macy's web site to register. Rick would rather go down to the store, but Steffy convinces him that they can find anything they need online, including sheets for their bed. "Who needs a bed?" Rick laughs as he kisses her.

Steffy talks with Rick about registering for their wedding.

As Rick makes out with Steffy, his shirt comes off. Rick suggests that they take this back to their place, but Steffy suggests they hold off on the canoodling and get online to register. Rick can't believe that she'd rather shop right now. Steffy says it might be a girl thing, but registering for your wedding is more than just shopping and is more like Christmas, where you get all these cool new gadgets and fancy glassware and stuff. Steffy heads over to the laptop on Rick's desk while Rick puts his shirt back on. Steffy logs on to the store's web site and starts checking out things. She tells Rick that they'll need 10 or 12 place settings. Rick asks why they'll need so many. Steffy explains that she hopes to have all the members of both their families sitting at their dinner table some day to celebrate with them. Rick likes the way that sounds and gives her a hug and a kiss.

Brooke defends her son to Ridge.

In Ridge's office, he and Brooke discuss Rick's choice for a wedding site. Ridge is sure Rick is doing this to get to him and put him at odds with Brooke and Steffy, but Brooke disagrees. Ridge thinks the idea of Rick getting married in their sacred spot is desecration. Brooke understands why he's wary, but she believes that her son is being sincere. Ridge has a hard time buying that given how Rick tried to destroy their relationship, but Brooke suggests that Rick's choice of a place to get married is his way of showing that he's accepted them as a couple. Taylor comes in and Ridge brings her up to speed on what Rick wants to do. Taylor agrees that this is just another ploy by Rick to get Ridge upset. Brooke insists that her son is not out to "get" anyone, but Taylor thinks Brooke is in denial and refuses to see her son's actions for what they are. Brooke defends her son's decision and insists that Rick just wants to bring their families together, but Ridge thinks she can't help believing in her son and begs her to see that his fears are justified here. Brooke doesn't see any signs of Rick manipulating anyone or sneaking around, so she really thinks Rick loves Steffy and wants to marry her, but Ridge asserts that he can't let that wedding happen given how Rick persists in trying to attack him and his family. He knows he promised to try to accept Rick, but he feels that Rick is everything he doesn't want in a son in law, so he just can't do it. What bothers him even more is that Brooke has blinders on and can't see where he's coming from.

Ridge and Taylor agree about Rick.

Brooke thinks Rick genuinely cares for Steffy, but Taylor doesn't think Rick wants Steffy as much as he wants to torment Ridge. Ridge agrees and suggests that Rick loves taunting him, and Taylor puts forth that Rick might be so disturbed that he doesn't even see what he's doing. Brooke tells them both to stop. She points out that it's Taylor's son, not hers, who needs treatment for psychological issues, while Rick is just in need of support. She's sure everything will be OK if they just give Rick that support. Taylor disagrees, because she thinks Rick is unstable, which is why his relationship with Steffy has to end before it's too late. Brooke refuses to see Rick's actions as twisted, especially when compared to what Thomas did. Taylor again accuses Brooke of being in denial. Brooke asks Ridge to tell Taylor to stop saying these things, but Ridge walks over to Taylor and says that he agrees with her. Brooke finds it funny that he calls Rick manipulative when Taylor is the one who is playing on his worst fears. Ridge insists that Steffy is about to make a mistake she'll regret for the rest of her life. He and Taylor have tried to get through to their daughter, but Rick's hold on her is too strong. "It's up to you, Logan," Ridge implores, urging her to do something to keep Steffy and Rick from getting married.

Jackie and Nick balk at Stephanie's demands.

At Jackie M, Nick and Jackie balk at Stephanie's demand to get 50% of the company in return for her coming to work there. Stephanie says that she only wants what she's worth, and Nick and Jackie are free to pass if they want and she'll leave. Nick tells Stephanie to wait; he doesn't want her to leave, but he's not willing to just give her half the company. Jackie insists that they can work with the bankers to keep the business afloat, but Stephanie doesn't think they want to bet the business on that. Nick offers Stephanie a $500,000 salary the first year with the possibility of partnership if Stephanie contributes to their success the way she expects to. Stephanie tells Nick that he can't afford to pay her that kind of salary, so she suggests that he have his people call her people to hash it out. As Stephanie heads for the door, Jackie urges Nick to think long and hard about this.

Bridget is shocked that Nick offered Stephanie a job.

As Stephanie is about to leave, she runs into Bridget, who enters the office with a stack of sketches in hand. Stephanie asks Bridget what she's doing there. Bridget says she was babysitting, but Nick introduces Stephanie to Madame X. He jokes that Stephanie will have to come around now that she knows their secret, or else he'll have to kill her! Stephanie thinks they must be in bad shape if they hired a doctor as a designer, but Bridget insists that Jackie hired her because she's good. Jackie agrees, stating that Bridget is just as talented as any of Stephanie's children. Bridget explains that Nick and Jackie gave her the chance to pursue her childhood dream. Stephanie asks her about her dream of being a doctor. Bridget states that medicine will always be there for her, but Jackie and Nick gave her the chance to step out of her comfort zone and express her own vision, maybe for the first time in her life. Nick butts in and asks Bridget if she's wondering why Stephanie is there, reminding her that Jackie M has been hiring lately. Bridget asks Stephanie if Nick offered her a job. Stephanie tells Bridget that Eric fired her, but Nick thinks Eric did more than that by booting her to the curb and letting Donna call her "old" in the press. As Bridget marvels at the idea of Stephanie working there, Jackie again says that they should think about this carefully. Nick says that there's no time for that since they have a business to save. He tells Jackie and Bridget to show Stephanie around while he calls the lawyers to put this deal to bed.

Stephanie tries to find Jackie M's "identity."

Stephanie looks over Bridget's designs and says that they show a lot of promise, but she feels that they need more than just promise and talent to be a success. Jackie states that she didn't expect that kind of remark after what Owen told them. Stephanie asks what Owen has to do with this. Jackie explains that she put Owen in charge of Fabrice DuFau's account, but Stephanie thinks they need to put more thought into this business than that. She thinks they need a strong corporate strategy that says who they are, and saying that they're "not Forrester" just isn't enough. Maybe not, Nick says, but it could be the start of the answer they're looking for. He points out that Forrester tends to skew older than they do, because Jackie M is a young company with fresh ideas, designs and designers. Stephanie thinks he's on to something, since there are dozens of undiscovered, talented designers just like Bridget all over the country. Nick says that those designers want a place to thrive and to show what they can do, and he thinks Jackie M can be that place. Stephanie nods in agreement.