Bold and Beautiful Recaps: The week of July 26, 2021 on B&B

Zende cooled off his relationship with Paris. Quinn broke work rules to speak to Eric about the hurt that had led to her affair. Brooke warned Eric to steer clear of Quinn until the divorce was finalized. Finn's father showed up on Steffy's doorstep with a secret of his own.

Carter offers to quit his job as a solution

Monday, July 26, 2021

by Chanel S. Garner

At Forrester in the evening, Steffy and Paris worked at the conference table. Ridge was at the desk, and the three discussed Paris and Steffy's carpool situation, since they lived together. Looking for a place was driving Paris crazy. Steffy was confident that Paris would find one, but until then, Paris would be Steffy and Finn's guest. Ridge was glad the situation was working out and said Paris wouldn't need a place if Carter and Quinn hadn't done what they'd done.

In the design office later, Zende was putting on a shirt. Paris entered. He said he was trying on new designs, and she told him he looked good. Paris was excited to tell him about a situation that had fallen into her lap. She hadn't planned on having roommates, but as it turned out, she had four, two of which could get pretty loud. Zende hoped she'd be able to ask them to keep it down. She figured Kelly would get it, but Hayes wouldn't understand what she'd be saying.

"You're living with Steffy and Finn?" Zende asked. Paris felt that Finn and Steffy had been very generous to offer a place to live right on the beach. Zende guessed she was living the SoCal dream and that she'd agreed to it right away. Paris said she had once she'd figured out that the couple had been serious.

Zende figured that Paris wouldn't have much privacy. Paris stated that, after living alone at Zoe's place, Paris couldn't wait to be around people. She'd had enough of eating dinner alone in front of a computer. She liked activity. Zende was sure she'd get plenty of that. She remarked that she'd offered to help with the kids, but Finn and Steffy had insisted that Paris be a guest.

Zende asked if it would be awkward living with the boss. Paris didn't think so. She and Steffy had really clicked. Paris hadn't spent a lot of time with Finn, but he seemed as laid back and nice as Steffy. Zende said Finn had made Zende's cousin happy. With a smile in her eyes, Paris replied that she was looking forward to getting to know Finn more.

Paris had learned a lot from Steffy ever since Paris had begun her job. She marveled at the way Steffy ran the company and took care of the kids. Zende replied that it couldn't be as easy as Steffy made it look. Paris explained that Steffy and Finn were quite the team, and even though Finn's job was probably more stressful, he was very present around Steffy and the kids.

Paris told Zende that he should hear Finn's dad jokes. Zende guessed they were bad. She replied that they were bad in the best way possible. Zende said people referred to Finn as genuine. She got that feeling, too, though she didn't know Finn that well. Steffy and Finn seemed like terrific people to Paris. Zende believed they felt that way about Paris, too.

Paris didn't know about that, but Zende insisted, saying the couple had kids to consider. Finn and Steffy wouldn't invite Paris to stay there unless they felt great about her. Paris thought it was beautiful the way the couple had found each other and how committed Finn was to Steffy and their family. Paris thought Steffy had landed a handsome catch; a handsome doctor was pretty hard to beat.

Back in the CEO's office, Ridge said it was kind of Finn and Steffy to let Paris stay with them temporarily. Steffy was glad Paris had accepted the invitation. According to Steffy, Paris was lonely with Zoe in Paris. Steffy got why Zoe wanted to stay away; Steffy didn't know what she'd do if she found out the man she loved was having an affair with the boss's wife. Ridge replied that Quinn and Carter had hurt a lot of people.

Steffy asked how Eric was. Ridge figured that she knew because she'd been to the house. Steffy mentioned that Eric was great with Hayes. Eric was great with his grandkids, but she sensed he was putting on a brave front. Steffy couldn't stand what Quinn had done when all Eric had done had been to defend her and give her the benefit of the doubt.

Ridge stated that Eric had loved that woman. Eric hadn't listened to Brooke or Ridge about Quinn. Eric had just believed that Quinn could never do anything wrong. That was why the affair had thrown Eric. Steffy couldn't stand what Quinn had done. Ridge thought the affair had been the final straw, and Quinn was finally out of their lives for good.

Flo arrived with legal papers that a messenger had dropped off. She was looking to give them to Carter. Ridge said Carter had been there earlier, but Ridge no longer knew where Carter was. Ridge offered to take the documents. Steffy wondered if it had to do with the New York deal, but Ridge said it had been taken care of. Steffy wondered next if it was about Eric's divorce.

Ridge replied that if the documents were about that, then that would be important. Flo hoped that the marriage could end without conflict. Ridge agreed that it was best for everyone. Flo left, and Steffy asked if Ridge would look at the papers. Ridge didn't want to poke around in Eric's divorce, but he didn't want to slow it down, either. He'd make sure Carter stayed on it.

Ridge took the papers out and gave them a quick glance to determine that they were about the divorce. Steffy wondered if it was time-sensitive, and Ridge asked why Carter wasn't there to deal with it. Eric had put a lot of faith in Carter, and he couldn't mess up. Steffy suggested calling Carter to give him a heads-up. Ridge agreed and dialed the number.

At Carter's loft, Carter and Quinn were in each other's arms. He said they didn't have to define it or put a label on it. They'd tried to say goodbye many times, but they couldn't. Carter wasn't ready for it to end. Quinn was reluctant, but he said she wasn't ready for it to end, either.

Carter couldn't imagine living without holding Quinn or looking into her eyes, smelling her skin, or tasting her lips. Quinn felt it, too. It had taken all of her strength to walk out of there. Sighing, she said it was complicated. He kissed her and asked if she felt it.

While Carter and Quinn held each other, Quinn said their hearts beat in unison. She'd never felt that before. She never wanted it to end. Quinn and Carter kissed again, and each said, "Never." They peeled each other's clothes off and began making out on the sofa.

Later, after the two had had sex, Carter and Quinn cuddled in throw blankets on the sofa. She'd never felt that way before. She felt at peace with the world, as if time had stopped. He said it was what he wanted. She told him that he'd lose everything if anyone found out. Carter stated that they both had a lot at risk, and he wasn't sure she was willing to take the risk.

Quinn believed that there were a million reasons why it was a terrible idea, but one thing was for sure -- she couldn't stay away from Carter. The two kissed again.

Carter's phone rang. It was Ridge's ringtone, and Quinn told Carter to answer it -- but to make sure it wasn't a video call first. Carter did, which made him take longer to answer. He put the call on speaker. Ridge asked if Carter was in the middle of something. Gazing at Quinn, Carter claimed he wasn't and asked what was going on. Ridge said divorce paperwork had been dropped off. Eric wanted to put it behind him, so Ridge asked that Carter speed it up.

Agreeing, Carter said it was painful enough, and there was no need to drag it out. Ridge stated that Eric was devastated, and though Eric wasn't showing it, he'd loved that woman. Quinn had broken Eric's heart. Ridge offered to put the papers on Carter's desk and asked if Carter would be back in the office that day. Carter didn't think so but offered to talk first thing in the morning.

After the call had ended, Carter was sorry and said Quinn hadn't needed to hear that. Quinn thought she should have. Carter began to try to explain Ridge's view, but she said she'd devastated Eric. She'd destroyed their marriage. Carter said she hadn't set out to betray Eric, but she replied that she'd done it. Eric had given her an incredible life, and most of the time, she'd felt like the most important person in the world. "Until he turned from you," Carter replied.

Quinn didn't fully blame Eric for that. She'd messed up even before she and Carter had gotten together. She recalled that Ridge had said that Eric was ready to move on, and she asked what Carter thought Ridge had meant by that and if there was another woman. Carter asked if that would upset her. "Yeah," she uttered. It would break her heart. She knew that the marriage was over, and she needed to move on and plan her life. She wished she could plan it with Carter.

"What if you could?" Carter asked. Quinn wouldn't let him lose it all because of her. He said he could get a job elsewhere. She wouldn't be able to live with herself. As he put his arms around her, she said she just wanted to stay in his arms, in the "here and now." She didn't want to think about anything else. She wanted to be in the moment and forget about everything but that -- "beautiful, forbidden, incredible this..."

Back at the CEO's office, Steffy asked if it bothered Ridge that the divorce was being handled by the guy who'd broken up the marriage. Ridge said Quinn had broken up the marriage; Carter had gotten caught up in it and was redeeming himself. Ridge was confident that Carter wouldn't make another mistake or screw up again.

Ridge helps Steffy make a decision about her future

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

by Chanel S. Garner

At the cliff house, Steffy was on the porch, bidding goodbye to Kelly and Amelia, who were on their way to the zoo. When Steffy went inside, Finn was there, holding Hayes and threatening to tell a dad joke. Steffy pretended to be too busy to hear it, and Finn told Hayes that his mom was a nut.

Finn began telling the boy that Steffy also loved with all she had; Hayes and Kelly were the most important things to her, and they were to Finn, too. Deciding to make a pact, Finn said he got why Steffy hadn't gone for the impromptu wedding and that she wanted to plan more. Finn figured that he and his son could stick together and make it happen really soon.

Later, Steffy groaned because Donna had messengered the wrong files to the house. Steffy couldn't access the work system because it was down for maintenance. Finn decided that it wasn't a problem. He had planned to go on a diaper run, and he offered to stop by Forrester to get the files. He had the day off and was on hand for whatever Steffy and Hayes needed.

Ridge arrived for his daily baby fix and was surprised when Finn said he was on his way to Forrester. Steffy told Finn she loved him. As Finn left, he said he loved her. "Love you, too, Gramps," Finn added and headed out the door.

Steffy asked her father who would have known when she'd opened her eyes at the hospital and seen her handsome doctor that he'd be her fianc and the father of her child. She felt blessed to have Finn in her life. Ridge felt that Finn was blessed, too. Steffy said there was something Ridge should know. Hayes got fussy, diverting her attention away from what she was saying.

Later, Steffy had gotten Hayes back to sleep. Ridge complimented her on it, but she said it wasn't her first rodeo. Noting that it was Finn's, Ridge asked how her "Finn boy" was coping. Steffy indicated that Finn was adjusting well. Ridge thought it was nice to see Steffy happy. He thought she deserved it after the up-and-down year she'd had with Liam and Hope.

Ridge felt that his daughter deserved a happily ever after with Finn, but Ridge didn't know anything about Finn. That had been what Steffy had wanted to talk to Ridge about. She stated that things had been happening kind of fast with Finn, Hayes, and the engagement. Steffy revealed that Finn had wanted to marry her there the other day.

Ridge was surprised. Steffy had seen it as adorable. He asked if she'd done it. She replied that she wouldn't break Ridge's heart like that. He asked if postponing was a good thing. Steffy said it was; they had Hayes and were a family. "It's just like a lot right now," she concluded.

Confused, Ridge asked if she didn't want "that." Shaking off her feelings, Steffy didn't know what she was saying. She was just tired. She couldn't imagine her life without Finn, who was an incredible partner and fianc. He was an amazing father, and she didn't have to share his heart with anyone else. It was very nice. Things were really good, and she didn't want to mess it up.

"And no offense or anything, but everything that with umm...with you and Brooke and mom..." Steffy said. "That environment...Okay, I just wanna..." she said. Ridge took no offense and was sure Finn understood it, too. Steffy said that Finn got it but had asked if she still had feelings for Liam. Pointedly, Ridge asked if she still had feelings for Liam.

"We're always going to be connected. He's Kelly's father," Steffy said. Ridge replied that Steffy didn't love Liam. "No. No. He's happy with Hope, and I'm happy with Finn," Steffy responded. It was nice to get off the roller coaster, and it felt great.

Ridge turned the topic back to getting married in the living room. Steffy said there was so much going on that they didn't even have their routine down. She didn't know why they needed a piece of paper to validate being husband and wife. Things were great, and she wanted to keep them that way. They were a couple, and they were parents. It was good.

Ridge asked if he was missing something. Steffy replied that he wasn't. Ridge was with Finn on it and said Finn just wanted to lock down the amazing thing he'd found. "We're Forresters. We do weddings. That's what we do. We're good at it." Ridge said and accused Finn of trying to dodge a Forrester wedding. Ridge didn't like it.

Steffy assured her father that wasn't it. Ridge didn't want Steffy marrying someone without him knowing who the parents were, and he wouldn't just let his little girl "leave like that." He knew she wasn't a little girl, but she would always be that to him, no matter how many people she married or how many kids she had. He was sorry he hadn't been a good role model for her.

Steffy didn't want Ridge to go there. Ridge insisted that he hadn't shown her what a marriage should be like because he'd been torn between two women. It had been hard on his kids with Taylor. He asked Steffy to remember that she wasn't her father. She wasn't torn between Finn and Liam or anyone else. Finn was her guy, the guy she'd been waiting for.

Ridge said it was in the way Finn looked at Steffy and understood her. Finn was great with the kids, and that was who she wanted to be with. Ridge figured it wasn't a question of whether she wanted to marry Finn; it was a question of when. Steffy said that was exactly it.

Ridge wondered if Finn had been upset that Steffy had turned down the impromptu wedding. Steffy said she hadn't meant to hurt Finn, but she, too, wanted to know Finn's parents and where he'd come from. She wanted to enjoy the moment, but she'd hate it if Finn felt rejected.

The more Steffy talked about it, the more she realized she didn't want to wait. Ridge smiled, and she did, too, wondering what she was doing. She wanted to marry Finn right then. Finn was her person. She wanted to be with him forever and asked why she should wait.

Ridge was ready to break out the Champagne and call the wedding planner, but Steffy wanted to talk to Finn first. She asked Ridge to let her mom know. Ridge said he would, and he also intended to call Finn's parents. Ridge didn't know them, and they could say a lot about who Finn was.

Ridge and Steffy hugged. He really liked the "kid," who'd given Ridge another grandson. He murmured about Steffy having reservations, but Steffy had none at all. Ridge wasn't saying she and Finn needed to get married the next day. It was about her being happy. "So, when are you getting married?" Ridge asked.

In the design office, Zende anxiously waited as Paris studied one of his designs. He smiled when she deemed it his most inspired yet. It meant a lot coming from her. She considered herself a Zende fan and had been since they'd met. He was glad they had met and was grateful to have her in his life. Paris felt the same way, especially because Zoe had left.

Zende wondered if Paris had heard from her sister. Zoe and Paris had sent each other a few text messages, and Zoe was happy that Paris had moved in with Finn and Steffy. Zende got a faraway look in his eye, and Paris asked what was wrong. Zende replied that he had something to say to her about the two of them.

Zende had meant it when he'd said Paris was amazing. He meant all the other positive things he'd said about her, including how open she was and how she embraced people, particularly him. Paris noted that it was different between them. Agreeing, he said it was because of what they were to each other and how quickly they'd connected. Paris wasn't sure what Zende was getting at or what he was trying to tell her.

Later, Zende ended a call about a possible fabric shipment mix-up for HFTF. He didn't want to bore Paris with it, but she claimed to enjoy listening about his work. Besides, he listened to her about budgeting and fundraising. He claimed that her work was important, but she believed that his was, too. HFTF had a powerful message, and Zende's designs were a big part of it.

Zende replied that it was why he liked Paris. She was always so powerful. She assumed there was a "but;" however, he dismissed that idea. He said she should know how he felt about her. Paris preferred that he elaborate. Zende explained that they were attracted to each other, but they were coworkers. They'd been doing well for themselves, and he'd hate to mess it up for either of them. Paris asked what he was saying. He wanted them to be careful.

Zende asked if Paris understood what he was saying. He was surprised when she responded that she'd been thinking the same thing. She said they had something special, and she wouldn't want to mess it up, especially because she no longer had family in town. She didn't want to lose him, too. Zende asked if they were cool with taking things slower.

Grinning, Paris nodded and said it might make her and Zende tighter in some ways. Zende agreed. "Okay, then. We'll take this one day at a time," Zende concluded, and they hugged.

Zende hoped Paris didn't feel as if he'd led her on or anything like that. Paris replied that he could never do that, and it wasn't who he was. Replying about who she was, he called her smart, creative, and caring.

As they smiled, Finn opened the office door and apologized. He felt like he'd interrupted something. Zende affirmed that he had but said it was okay. Zende asked if he and Paris were cool. She affirmed it. Finn explained to them what files he was looking for on Steffy's behalf. Donna wasn't at her desk, and Finn asked if either of them could help him.

Zende knew where the files were and offered to get them. Zende also congratulated Finn on Finn and Steffy somehow getting Paris to live with them. Zende joked that they had a built-in babysitter. Paris mirthlessly laughed as Zende exited, closing the door behind him.

"Like you would have time," Finn replied about Zende's joke. Finn and Steffy were just glad Paris was hanging out with their noisy brood. Paris was glad, too, as long as she wasn't in the way. Finn told Paris that she could stay as long as she needed to.

Gushing about the couple, it was easy for Paris to see why Steffy and Finn worked so well together. They were attentive to each other. "Well, Steffy's my wife -- uh, Steffy's the mother of my child," he stated. He'd always be there for her.

Paris didn't mean to pry, but Finn said it would be impossible to keep secrets while living together -- not that he had any. He told her to just ask. Paris said it was an observation. It was clear to her how much he loved Steffy and Hayes and was committed to them. They joked about his diaper-changing skills that they were sure Steffy was envious of. Paris concluded that it was lucky that Steffy and Finn had found each other.

Questions arise about why Finn and Steffy haven't gotten married

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

by Dan J Kroll

At the cliff house, Ridge emphasized that he liked Finn. What he wasn't so thrilled about was that Finn wanted to marry Steffy "on the couch" without her family being present. Steffy assured her dad that she was happy. Ridge held up his finger as he listened for a noise in the background. Just as Steffy worried that something might be wrong, Ridge told her that he heard wedding bells. Steffy bunched up one the kids' blankets and hurled it in her father's direction.

As Steffy talked about how Hayes kept her up at night, Ridge became inspired and started sketching her on a pad of paper. Steffy became curious when Ridge began giving her directions on how to position her head. She surmised that he was designing her wedding dress and tried to sneak a peek. Ridge quickly turned the pad over and asked that his daughter allow him the chance to surprise her.

At Forrester, Brooke asked Katie if Bill's time in lockdown had changed him. "You mean, did it make him more humble?" Katie asked with a laugh. Katie said it would take more than some time in jail to change Bill, but she admitted she was relieved that Bill hadn't changed. "It would be weird if he came back and he was all transformed," she shared.

The Logan sisters' conversation turned to the importance of family and the possibility that there would soon be wedding bells in Steffy and Finn's future. They marveled at how quickly life could change, with Brooke noting that Steffy might never have met Finn had he not been working at the hospital the night of Steffy's motorcycle accident. "I guess that just validates your belief in fate," Katie grinned. Brooke reveled in being right. She shared that she was happy Steffy's life was on the right track -- and having a "wonderful man" like Finn by Steffy's side didn't hurt.

"I realize that Steffy doesn't need a man to define her," Katie stated just before questioning why there seemed to be a holdup when it came to Steffy and Finn getting married. Moments later, an exuberant Ridge burst into the office to talk about spending time with his grandson. Brooke asked Ridge if he knew why Finn and Steffy hadn't gotten married yet.

Brooke later confessed that Steffy being happy with Finn took Steffy "off the playing field for Liam." She then added, "Everybody is happy, and they're in the right place." Ridge ordered Katie to write down what Brooke had said, calling it "the world according to Logan." Ridge taunted the two women for a while by saying that he had news about Steffy and Finn's relationship status. He then revealed that he believed there would be wedding bells in the couple's future "very soon."

Elsewhere at Forrester, Paris asked Finn if he was "a little bummed" that Steffy hadn't gone along with his impromptu wedding. Finn downplayed his disappointment, saying that he understood that Steffy wanted her family at their wedding. Paris assured Finn that she wasn't trying to pry. She went on to say that Finn and Steffy were "relationship goals." Finn told Paris that he and Steffy were happy to have her in their lives.

Zende walked in with a file that Steffy needed. He handed it off to Finn, who said that he had to be on his way. Zende and Paris both agreed that Finn was a really great guy. Paris marveled at one of Zende's "exquisite" show-stopping designs. As they talked about everything that had happened around them, both Zende and Paris agreed that they didn't want their relationship to fall apart the way that so many others had.

When Finn returned home, Steffy greeted him with a kiss. She thanked him for picking up her file, but he said it was the least he could do for giving him a son. Steffy told him that she never wanted to let Finn go. "'Til death do us part," she said softly. Not wanting to get ahead of himself, Finn asked Steffy if she was saying what he thought she was saying. She replied by saying, "Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Finn called himself a better man since he had a "vibrant, beautiful, sexy, fearless" woman like Steffy in his life. He smiled broadly as he said that he would be happy to make Steffy his wife one day. "No, no...I wanna marry you right away," Steffy replied. The two then kissed passionately. Steffy mentioned that she wanted to finally meet Finn's parents. Finn smiled meekly, but when Steffy pulled him into an embrace, that smile disappeared.

Quinn makes an unannounced visit to see Eric at Forrester

Thursday, July 29, 2021

by Chanel S. Garner

At the cliff house, Finn held Steffy in his arms and said she was making him the happiest man. She figured they'd been engaged for a long time, and it was time to make it official. They talked about how their flower girl, Kelly, would feel and about getting Hayes a baby tux. Finn and Steffy were excited about what the future held, and Steffy said, "Let's do this. Let's get married."

Steffy and Finn kissed. She flashed him bedroom eyes and pushed him onto the sofa. Sitting with him, she said he was everything she'd hoped for and more. He felt that she'd given him "so much," and their wedding would be special. She agreed, saying they'd celebrate in front of their friends and their families.

Steffy reached for a pad and didn't notice the shadow that swept over Finn's face. She was ready to start planning. She didn't care how they did it. She just wanted their families to be there. She said Hayes would get to know his grandparents, and she got to meet Finn's parents.

Finn guessed Steffy meant business. Steffy said they had a good thing, and thinking about it made her emotional. She said they were doing it together and blending their families. She was ready to pick a date and asked where his parents lived. She didn't really know but hadn't wanted to pry. She was excited to meet his parents.

Finn believed his parents would love Steffy like he did. He didn't know why they had to plan right then. He just wanted to savor the moment with his soon-to-be wife. The couple kissed. Steffy said they should take advantage of the baby sleeping. As they made out, he stated that she'd gotten more beautiful and sexy since she'd begged him to marry her. The kiss deepened.

Sexy music played as Steffy jerked Finn's shirt open, and they continued making out. They thought of going to the bedroom, but Hayes was sleeping in there. Finn murmured that he didn't want to scar the boy for life. Steffy was fine where they were, but Finn said Paris could walk in. Steffy guessed it wasn't the right time and asked if Finn would wait.

It was taking all of Finn's self-control. Steffy said they had the rest of their lives. Finn felt that they could survive a few hours. The sexy music faded away, and Steffy grabbed her pad to start planning again. Finn stated that weddings took time, but Steffy had always been a rule-breaker. He suggested that they break the rules and do the unexpected.

Steffy asked if Finn was trying to get a quickie wedding again. Finn asked why not. Steffy wanted her family there, and she wanted to meet his parents. She couldn't wait to meet them. Finn and Steffy hugged, and Finn looked worried.

In the CEO's office, Eric had a model on a pedestal, displaying a dramatic black gown. Ridge and Brooke admired the craftsmanship and concluded that Eric was at the top of his game. The model left, and Eric said that with his marriage over, he'd decided to recommit to his art. Brooke noted that Eric seemed free after saying goodbye to Quinn.

Quinn arrived, claiming things had been more strongly worded, but Eric did seem at peace. Brooke scoffed, asking what Quinn was doing there. Quinn told Eric that it was good to see him. Brooke asserted that Quinn wasn't allowed in the building, adding, "Come on, Eric, tell her."

Ridge echoed Brooke's sentiment, and Eric said Quinn had agreed to work remotely. Quinn claimed her badge still worked, and she'd wanted to deliver her latest designs in person. Brooke said Eric didn't want Quinn there, but there she was. Quinn asked to speak to Eric alone; she didn't want to stand there and be demonized by Brooke.

Brooke denied the request, and Ridge told Quinn to leave. Brooke decided to call security, but Eric said he could handle it. Brooke strode up to Quinn and hoped it was the last time they had to deal with her. Ridge guided Brooke out and said they'd be across the hall.

Brooke and Ridge went into the design office. Carter arrived and apologized for interrupting. He'd thought the office was empty. Ridge replied that they'd be there temporarily because the big office was occupied. Brooke explained that Quinn had waltzed her way into Forrester, uninvited. Carter was surprised to hear it and couldn't imagine it had gone well.

Brooke said Quinn was predictable, and Eric was too polite. Brooke would have kicked Quinn out already. Carter was surprised that Eric hadn't. Brooke said Eric was alone with Quinn. Brooke believed that Quinn was there to play on Eric's sympathies, but Ridge thought Quinn knew that the ship had sailed.

Brooke urged Carter to push the divorce forward, saying the less time Quinn had to influence Eric, the better. Carter stiffly nodded. She asked if she was making him uncomfortable. Ridge admonished Brooke for thinking that talking about the biggest mistake Carter had ever made wouldn't make him feel uncomfortable. Carter admitted that it did, and Ridge was sure it did. Ridge told Brooke to give Carter a break because he'd put a stop to it.

Thanking God, Brooke said Carter was saving himself a lot of heartache. She knew it was the agreement he'd made with Eric, but she hoped Carter had told Quinn that he'd wanted nothing to do with her. Brooke also hoped Eric was doing that, too.

Ridge decided that he and Brooke should let Carter get some work done. As they left, Brooke repeated her desire for Carter to push the divorce forward.

Alone, Carter glanced at a press release of Quinn and recalled them pondering if it was love or lust. She's said it was just them, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Carter gazed at the door and looked troubled.

Alone with Quinn across the hall, Eric asked if it was another apology. Quinn said it wasn't. He assumed they could discuss the divorce. "Do we have to?" she asked. He wondered if she wanted to discuss her designs. He was sure they were wonderful, as always. She appreciated that sentiment and wanted to continue challenging herself -- remotely.

Eric said it was the only way Quinn could work at Forrester. Quinn knew and was enjoying her new setup. Eric had yet to hear from her attorney. She replied that it would be awhile because she hadn't hired one. She was fine with taking whatever settlement there would be.

Eric was surprised to hear that. Quinn reminded him that she'd been a successful, single mother on her own. She could take care of herself. Eric didn't doubt that. She'd never doubted his sense of fairness and had appreciated his generosity over the years. It had been his inability to defend her that had become a point of contention and concern for her. She claimed that, in every situation, he'd sided with Brooke and his family over her.

Quinn recalled that she'd apologized and begged and pleaded for his forgiveness, but he'd refused to give it. Eric claimed that he had, but he wouldn't that time. She said she wasn't justifying her actions. He replied that she couldn't, and there was no excuse for turning to another man. "Well, if only you could've met me halfway," she replied.

Quinn claimed she'd tried to get close to Eric again, but he'd kept shutting her down. He hadn't been able to get over her role in Shauna and Ridge's wedding and had hated that Quinn had gone against his precious Brooke, who'd campaigned for Quinn's removal from the start.

Eric corrected Quinn, saying he'd hated that she'd betrayed Ridge, and Eric had hated that Quinn had betrayed him. She claimed that she'd taken responsibility for her actions and had tried to win back his faith in her. She said he'd had none of it, and he'd given Brooke carte blanche to vilify Quinn day after day.

"I'm your wife. Why is it that you couldn't excuse me when you have absolved so many others over the years?" Quinn asked. She ticked off names: Thomas, Shauna, Brooke, and all of his ex-wives. Everyone but Quinn. Quinn asked why he couldn't find it in his heart to forgive her.

Eric replied that he had forgiven Quinn and had been ready to renew his vows when he'd learned about the affair. Quinn agreed and said she'd made a mistake. She refused to be defined by the mistake and said she'd turned to Carter for a reason.

"So you've said," Eric quipped. Quinn said that when two people made vows, they sometimes faced obstacles in the relationship. They had to be there for each other and attend to each other's needs, hers included. She knew she'd hurt Eric, but she was done apologizing. "Because you took Brooke's word over everyone's, including mine," she said.

Quinn said she'd made a mistake. She'd made a big mistake, but Eric should have defended her. "And you didn't," Quinn added. She cited that Brooke had just been there, talking down to Quinn, but Eric had said nothing, like he always had. Eric insisted that he'd defended her to everyone in his life. He'd stood up for her from the beginning.

Quinn asked where she'd been when it had happened. She hadn't felt protected. She hadn't felt cared for. She promised that there was nothing worse than living with someone who gave her the cold shoulder or to be in a marriage lacking warmth or intimacy.

Quinn claimed to own her mistakes, but she said she was walking away knowing she'd given the marriage everything she'd had. She'd tried to conform to being the matriarch and upstanding member of the Forrester family, but maybe she just wasn't cut out to be queen or have her portrait above the fireplace. It was okay with her because, for the first time, she was being true to herself and was proud of the woman she was becoming.

Jack Finnegan arrives with a secret of his own

Friday, July 30, 2021

by Chanel S. Garner

At the cliff house, Steffy and Finn were on the sofa with Hayes, going over wedding details. Steffy told Hayes about the big party and said he'd met his Finnegan grandparents. She stated that Finn had been keeping them hidden, for some reason. Finn replied that it wouldn't be for long because, like it or not, there was no way his parents would miss his wedding.

Steffy doubted that Finn's parents could be that bad. Finn hadn't meant to give her that impression. She asked why he kept changing the subject about his parents. He replied that there was something she should know, and he should have told her awhile back.

Steffy put Hayes down in her bedroom and returned to the living room to talk to Finn. Steffy assumed it was something dire on Finn's mind, but he said it wasn't. It was just that he'd been avoiding talking about it, which had made it more awkward to discuss as time had gone by. She conveyed that she didn't intend to judge, and he could tell her anything.

There was a knock at the door, and each of them was surprised by it. Steffy opened the door and found an older, well-dressed man on her doorstep. He said that she had to be Steffy. He was Jack Finnegan. "Dad?" Finn said. Finn asked why his father was there and where his mom was.

Jack was there to meet his grandson and future daughter-in-law. Finn's mother had had to take a later flight, but Jack had wanted to surprise Finn. Finn was indeed surprised. He said it was good to see Jack. Steffy said Hayes was asleep, but she was thrilled to meet Jack. She'd started to think Finn's parents were imaginary.

Jack guessed Finn probably wished that occasionally. Putting his arm around Jack, Finn claimed it wasn't true, and he couldn't have asked for better parents. Steffy was looking forward to getting to know the Finnegans. Jack welcomed her into his family with open arms. Steffy was happy to be joining their family.

Later, everyone exited the bedroom, and Jack said Hayes was adorable and would have his grandmother wrapped around his finger. They discussed who Hayes was named for and that Steffy's daughter was named for her grandmother. Jack joked about working on baby three for his wife's namesake.

Finn told his father that he'd been just about to open up to Steffy about his family. Jack was surprised that Finn hadn't told her. Steffy became worried. Finn said it wasn't bad. It was pretty awesome. He was lucky and didn't know where he'd be if things had been different. What he had to say didn't define him, but it was a part of him and affected Hayes.

"You swear this isn't bad?" Steffy asked. Finn promised it wasn't. He said he always asked patients about their family history, but it was a question he couldn't answer for himself. Hayes wouldn't be able to, either, on the Finnegan side. Finn had had an amazing home with great parents, but he'd been adopted.

Steffy said they'd had her worried for a second. She asked if Finn had always known. Jack stated that they'd told Finn at an early age. She wondered if Finn knew about his birth parents. He didn't, but he'd thought about his birth mother every birthday and had thought about looking them up. He wondered why he'd been given away, and he'd like to thank his birth parents for giving him wonderful adoptive parents.

Steffy was glad to know it. It meant they didn't know much about Hayes's history or background, but she felt that Finn's adoptive parents were a part of Hayes and had made Finn what he was. She loved Finn, no matter where he'd come from. As Steffy hugged Finn, Jack wondered, "Do I tell them?"

At Carter's house, Quinn touched Carter's shirt and smelled it. She flashed back to taking it off him to have sex. Grinning, she text-messaged him that she needed to see him.

In the CEO's office, Brooke watched as Eric and Ridge worked together on another gown worn by a model. Ridge said it was all Eric's creation, and Brooke guessed Eric really had recommitted to his art. As Carter opened the door, she said Eric's creative juices were flowing because the negative energy was out of his life.

Eric admitted that he felt as if he was on a roll. Carter entered as the model exited. Eric asked if there was news about his divorce. There wasn't, but Carter claimed those things could take time. Brooke asked if Carter could speed it up, because the sooner Quinn was out of all of their lives, the better.

Brooke, Ridge, and Eric discussed how Quinn didn't have a lawyer. Brooke couldn't even believe Quinn had shown up there. As Carter received Quinn's message, Eric was asking if Carter had seen Quinn. Carter said he hadn't seen her when she'd been there, but Brooke and Ridge had told him about it. Brooke asked why Quinn thought she could waltz in where she wasn't allowed.

Heading to the door, Carter offered to send Quinn a strongly worded reminder about it. Eric agreed to it and asked Carter to get on the divorce. Brooke told Carter that he was a good guy, not accustomed to playing dirty, but for Eric's sake, Carter might have to. She stated that Carter was Eric's attorney, and it was Carter's job to stick it to Quinn.

After Carter had gone, the topic turned to Quinn showing up there and saying she was done apologizing after she'd cheated on Eric. Eric said Quinn had apologized all the time for her actions, but she was done doing that. He wasn't going to defend her after the way she'd hurt him, but he'd hurt her, too. Ridge asked how that was.

Eric explained that Quinn had broken his trust and destroyed the marriage, but Quinn's insecurity about Brooke had been the problem. Quinn felt that he'd taken the family's side and Brooke's side over Quinn's, and it was Eric constantly valuing Brooke over Quinn that he felt he needed to take responsibility for.

Ridge asked if Eric saw that Quinn was trying to make Eric feel bad and to justify her sleeping with another man. Eric got that, but it wasn't all black and white. He hadn't been the perfect husband, but he wasn't any less angry about what had happened. Brooke noted that Eric was vulnerable, and Quinn could manipulate him. Eric asked if he was so easily manipulated.

Brooke just didn't want Quinn to get the chance. Brooke knew that Eric didn't like being alone, and if Quinn kept going at him like that -- Brooke thought it was best to speed up the divorce and stop talking to Quinn. Quinn was trouble, and Brooke figured Eric knew it. Brooke urged him to leave the communicating to the lawyers and said Quinn was in Carter's hands, not Eric's.

Back at Carter's place, Quinn found martini glasses in the cabinet and flashed back to times with Eric. She sighed, cradling the glass.

Later, Carter arrived while Quinn was in his hat, reading a book. He asked what was going on. She assumed he'd been with Eric when she'd texted. Carter had been with Eric, Ridge, and Brooke. Quinn could imagine what Brooke was saying about her. Carter asked what it was about, and with a flirty look, she said, "You have to ask?"

Quinn claimed she couldn't stop thinking of Carter and how he made her feel. She also thought of Eric and about her marriage ending. It was unbelievable. Carter noted that she hadn't signed the papers yet, and there was always a chance to convince Eric to take her back.

Carter believed that Eric still loved Quinn. Carter asked how Eric couldn't love the playful, spellbinding, passionate woman. Sexy music played, and they kissed. She said they shouldn't, but he told her that he couldn't stop. Quinn didn't know what they were doing and stated that she was too old for him. He scoffed.

Quinn explained that she was older, and Carter would probably want to have a family and children. She couldn't give that to him. He insisted that he wanted her. "In that case..." Quinn said and led him up the spiral staircase.