Bold and Beautiful Recaps: The week of August 10, 2009 on B&B

Comprehensive daily recaps for The Bold and the Beautiful, dating back to 1997.

Monday, August 10, 2009

by Tamilu

Jackie was trapped in the office by the angry cougar as Whip searched frantically for the key. Owen wanted to knock the door down, but the animal expert assured Owen that would only make the animal angrier and put Jackie in more danger.

Once the cougar was captured, Whip apologized to Jackie profusely, and added he never should have put her life in danger. Jackie was clearly shaken and admitted to Whip she had never been so afraid in her life. Jackie had felt certain the cougar was going to eat her alive.

Nick arrived on the scene and was furious at Whip for his obviously ill-thought-out plan, which nearly killed Jackie. The animal trainer arrived and also apologized. She said she had never seen the cat behave that way in the past. She asked if Jackie had been wearing cologne. Jackie said she always wore perfume. The animal trainer suggested the cat was turned on by Jackie's scent and didn't want to kill her, but mate with her.

Nick informed Jackie the campaign was very disconcerting for him, even before the cougar attack. Nick added he did not enjoy seeing his mother parading around like a sex symbol. Jackie pretended to play along and promised Nick from that point on, it would be muumuus and Bingo for her. Nick left the office disgusted by her refusal to take him seriously.

Owen expressed his complete devotion to Jackie. Nearly losing Jackie inspired a moment of epiphany for Owen. He discovered he would have willingly given his life to save Jackie. He said it was the first time in his life someone else's life mattered more to him than his own. Owen admitted their relationship had begun as just fun and games, but made sure Jackie knew he was absolutely serious about her and was entirely devoted to a life with her.

An old friend of Stephanie's named Dorothy Bright stopped by Jackie M to visit her at the office. Dorothy said she had heard about Stephanie's success at Jackie M and wanted to see it for herself. Dorothy confessed that she wasn't there just for a visit. She had a favor to ask Stephanie that involved both Jackie M and Forrester Creations.

Dorothy explained that she was hosting a charity event and their entertainment had canceled. Dorothy proposed a "fashion showdown" between Jackie M and Forrester, with proceeds going to her charity.

Whip dropped by Stephanie's office to inform Stephanie about the cougar attack. Dorothy was still there when Whip arrived, so she made her pitch to him, as well. Whip loved her idea, but Stephanie was making wild gestures behind Dorothy's head to instruct Whip to turn her down. When Dorothy left the office, she left a sample invitation she had printed up for the event , and when Stephanie's back was turned, Whip slid the invitation into his pocket.

Katie stopped to visit Bill Spencer, and he lamented that his photographers had not been able to get a good shot of the failed wedding between Ridge and Taylor. He continued that Katie couldn't blame him, because the spectacle of Brooke arriving on horseback filthy and wearing a tattered dress would have been a great shot to sell to magazines.

Katie remarked that such scenes were commonplace to Ridge and Brooke in their wild lifelong love affair. Katie expressed her thankfulness to Taylor for calling off the wedding. Bill asked Katie if she honestly believed that Ridge was meant to be with her sister. Katie said she believed that some people were just destined to be together. Bill pointed out that the Logan girls all seemed to be incredibly loyal.

Katie said that was true and added that was why she was there to see him. She needed to ask his help with something that related to Forrester. Bill referenced the "Royalty" campaign. Katie seemed surprised that he had heard about it, because it hadn't gone public. He chuckled and said "Dollar Bill sees all." He mentioned the "Indulge" campaign at Jackie M and said Katie had her work cut out for her competing with that.

Katie made Bill a proposition. She said Forrester wanted to buy ad space in Bill's magazines and TV shows, but with an exclusivity clause. She wanted to be certain Forrester would not pay for ad space in Bill's magazine only to have him trashing them or promoting Jackie M on the next page. She asked Bill if he could work with her.

Bill said it sounded as if Katie was asking for preferential treatment. She said not at all, she was only asking for fair treatment. Bill said he had a reputation to maintain. Katie said she was aware of Bill's reputation and she believed she had gotten to know the man behind it a little bit. Katie expressed her faith in Bill, and felt certain he would come through for her.

After Katie left, Whip arrived at Bill's office and said he had an idea that would make a lot of money for both Jackie M and for Bill, too. He showed Bill the invitation for the charity fashion show face-off. Bill was intrigued and noted that it was very risky for Forrester Creations, because if they lost, it could bankrupt them. Whip agreed, and explained to Bill that the event had not been approved yet and said that was where Bill came in.

Whip asked Bill to leak the event in his magazine and make it sound like it was a done deal, which would force the hands of the powers that be at Jackie M and Forrester to participate. Whip suggested a loss would push Forrester closer to the edge of collapse, making it easier for Bill to succeed in his takeover attempts. Bill was clearly intrigued.

Back in her office, Katie reminisced about previous conversations she had with Bill, and convinced herself that Bill would come through for her and be loyal in the end.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

by Pam

At Jackie M, Dorothy visited Stephanie to tell her that she was surprised but happy that Stephanie had changed her mind about participating in the fashion challenge. Nick and Bridget entered and wondered what was going on. Stephanie tried to explain that she did not change her mind. Nick interrupted and said that the entire idea should have been proposed to him and his mother. Nick and Dorothy stared at each other, and Nick wondered who Dorothy was.

Stephanie apologized and introduced everyone. She made sure to introduce Nick as her partner, and Bridget as Eric's daughter. Dorothy excitedly chatted about the charity event that had already sold tables of seats to guests at $50,000 per table. She explained that Stephanie had turned down the idea, but someone must have leaked it to the media.

Nick and Bridget said it was a bad idea, but Dorothy said it was already too late.

At Forrester, the same thing was happening. Eric and Ridge saw the fashion challenge announcement on the Internet. Katie and Brooke burst into Eric's office and wanted to know how the event news had broken without anyone at Forrester knowing about it. Ridge wondered how it could have gone so far so fast, and Brooke believed Stephanie was behind it.

Eric called Stephanie, who insisted she had no idea how the whole thing got started. Eric wanted her to stop the publicity and set things straight, but she said it was too late. Dorothy chimed in and asked Eric if they could meet to discuss the event. Eric invited them to his office. Bridget, Stephanie, and Dorothy, whom Eric called Dottie, showed up at Eric's office. Dottie finally admitted that she had an invitation made up by printer so that she could use it to entice both Jackie M and Forrester. She suggested that someone at the printer must have leaked the news.

Dottie said that the event would help a lot of kids and there was no way to stop the press on it. They all agreed the show would go on. Bridget later confided in Eric that she was a little nervous about going up against her dad. Eric told her that she had accomplished wonderful things and had great designs at Jackie M. She beamed that her talent came from her dad, because she learned from the best.

Eric teased her a bit and suggested that she give it her all in the fashion challenge. He didn't want her to worry about going up against her old man. She said that she planned to give it her all and was a little intimidated. Eric said he planned to take advantage of that. As Bridget walked out the door, she said she honestly wasn't scared to compete against him.

Ridge and Brooke reviewed some ideas for the competition and Brooke flirted with Ridge. Ridge told her that she needed to focus, but she reminded him that they had mixed plenty of business with pleasure when they came up with the "Belief" formula, "Brooke's Bedroom," and the Forrester men's line. Ridge accused Brooke of distracting herself, but she said she knew that she was distracting him. She giggled and encouraged him to get back to work as she kissed him on the lips.

Stephanie talked to Eric alone, and they agreed that Jackie M and Forrester couldn't back out of the challenge. They wished one another luck. Eric said that there would finally be a winner as the best fashion house in Los Angeles. Stephanie pointed to herself as the winner. Stephanie brought up the "Royalty" campaign and gently told Eric that it cheapened Forrester's image. Eric disagreed. He acknowledged that Stephanie didn't like the Logan girls, but he reminded her that they had all made contributions.

At Spencer Communications, Whip swaggered into Bill's office, confident that his conversation with Bill about the invitation had worked. Bill was pleased that he had both Stephanie and Eric right where he wanted them. Whip wanted Bill's assurance that his name would never come up as the person who leaked the entire event. Whip added that he was sure Stephanie wouldn't mind and would be pleased as long as it meant Jackie M kept its first-place ranking. Bill warned Whip not to be too confident. He said that Stephanie had a soft spot for Forrester Creations.

After Whip left, Jarrett entered and Bill gave Jarrett his orders for taking care of judges for the fashion challenge. Bill stated that every judge owed him a favor, and he planned to collect. Jarrett looked disappointed that Bill wanted him to do the dirty work. He left to contact the judges.

Katie popped in on Bill to tell him about the fashion competition. He wasn't quite as excited as Katie thought he would be. Katie was convinced that Forrester would win the competition, but Bill argued that Jackie M had momentum. Katie said the new Forrester "Royalty" campaign and the dresses would win over the judges.

Katie was convinced that she and her sisters could change the tide. She pointed out that Bill and Katie turned things around. She said that everyone was afraid of him, but she wasn't. She remembered him as being protective of her when she passed out drunk in his hotel room. He smiled. She asked him point-blank if he would ever hurt her, and he answered ambiguously that he wouldn't ever want to see that happen.

She suggested that it was time for him to prove it by resisting the temptation to root for Jackie M with the hopes that Forrester could be beaten down and sold to Bill if it were to lose the competition. She suggested that Bill was above that kind of behavior, and she expected that he would cover the entire event with objectivity.

Bill appeared surprised, but he said temptation was strong, and he was tempted by her. He wondered if she would give in to temptation. She said that she was tempted because she knew that he was. Bill agreed that he was tempted in a different way than ever before. Katie realized how hard it was for Bill to admit that she was a temptation to him. Suddenly, Bill sat down at his desk and said he had to get back to work.

In a darkened room at Spencer Communications, Jarrett was on the phone with one of the judges. He was promising door-to-door service with a private limo and ride aboard Bill's private jet to L.A. He added that Bill wanted to keep all the information confidential.

On his away into Bill's office to give his report, Jarrett greeted Katie as she left. Jarrett noted that he had never seen Bill look at anyone the way he looked at Katie. Jarrett wondered why Bill would be willing to break her heart by ruining her family's business if the fashion show was a failure for Forrester. Bill told Jarrett it had nothing to do with Katie. He insisted it was all business.

Back at Jackie M, Whip and Stephanie sat down to plan strategy. She was convinced that he leaked the challenge info to the press. Whip didn't admit it, but said he believed they would win, and Stephanie warned that they had better win. Whip promised to deliver a winning campaign.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

by Tamilu

Aboard Bill Spencer's private jet, Jarett plied the three celebrity judges with champagne and caviar. The judges realized that Bill was buttering them up for something, but Jarett did not yet reveal the nature of Bill's generosity.

One of the judge s Rich, who was played by Alan Thicke, laughed and wondered why on earth Bill Spencer would care about the outcome of the fashion showdown. Another judge, Melissa Rivers as herself, said she had heard Bill had his eye on Forrester Creations and wanted them to lose for his own benefit. When Alan asked Melissa where she heard that rumor, he said "Oh, I know, from your mother." The third judge, Sergei, played by Jim J. Bullock, happily continued to eat caviar and drink champagne.

The judges were hesitant to agree to this plan until Jarett etched out the details of what Bill was offering them as bribes. After hearing what was in it for them, the three judges toasted Jackie M's win and guzzled more bubbly. Jarett was seemingly the only one with a conscience, and looked deeply troubled by what he had done.

Katie walked into Bill's office and was afraid she was interrupting a date. Bill had a candlelight dinner for two set up, and Katie tried to make a hasty exit. Bill explained that she was not interrupting because he had arranged the dinner for her.

Bill invited her to sit down and eat. He explained that he suspected Katie hadn't eaten and wanted to give her a chance to take a break. She agreed to join him. Katie asked Bill if she was wasting her time, and demanded a firm answer on whether or not he would agree to be objective in his coverage of the fashion showdown. Katie added that winning that challenge was vital to Forrester Creations, and the most important thing in the world to her.

Katie asked Bill to review the collection and judge it honestly. Bill said he could not promise to give Forrester a good review until he saw the collection. Katie agreed that was fair, and only asked him to view it with an open mind. She asked him not to use his influence to tank Forrester for his own selfish purposes. Katie asked Bill if that was too much to ask, and he said no.

Bill's assistant entered with some paperwork for him to approve. He asked her to leave it on her desk and said he would see to it later. She asked if she could leave because her daughter's soccer game was about to begin.

Katie asked Bill if he ever talked to his assistant about her life. He rolled his eyes and said, "No," as if Katie should have known the answer before she asked. Katie was incredulous and pointed out that Bill knew nothing about the woman who brought him coffee and organized his life every day.

Bill said, "I pay my employees well. I pay them to work for me. If they don't do their jobs, I fire them. Better off that I know them as numbers on a page, salaries, and responsibilities. I don't know about their personal lives, and I don't want to know." Katie was saddened by Bill's cold response.

Katie expressed her sympathy for Bill, she knew he was lonely. Katie felt sorry that Bill held everyone at arm's length and never let anyone close to him. Katie supposed that Bill equated emotions with weakness. She told him that was no way to live, and that money wasn't everything. Katie assured Bill that she would not trade the trust, loyalty, and love she had with her family for all the money in the world.

Bill didn't respond to Katie's comments, but instead warned Katie that she would never reach her true potential if she continued to work at Forrester. She said she wasn't interested in moving up, she liked the job she had. Katie asked if Bill was suggesting she team up with him. Katie was curious if she worked for Bill, what the first duty he assigned to her would be . She suspected it would involve making cuts and firing people.

Bill said probably so, but business was business. Katie tried to convince Bill that one should not put profits before people. She asked Bill to be kindhearted and to consider the lives of his employees and how his cuts would impact them. Bill said in business, one had to look at the company's bottom line first.

Katie understood Bill had been raised that way and learned those harsh practices from his dad. Katie reminded Bill that the end of his story had not been written yet and that it wasn't too late to change. Bill disagreed, and said he thought it was too late to change. Katie looked crushed.

Katie expressed her disappointment that Bill didn't believe he could change, because she felt she had made progress with him. She hoped their friendship would convince him to back off of his takeover attempts at Forrester. Bill chuckled and said, "That train has already left the station."

Katie asked Bill if the people she cared about meant anything to him. Bill responded by asking Katie if she wanted Bill to hire them to work for him, too. Katie assured Bill the Forresters would never agree to work for him.

The phone rang and it was Jarett. He called to inform Bill that the mission was accomplished and the judges agreed to vote for Jackie M. Katie asked Bill if she should leave, and Jarett overheard. Jarett implored Bill to rethink his plan. Jarett realized Bill had feelings for Katie and asked Bill not to jeopardize the affection of the one woman who had ever genuinely cared for him over greed. Bill hung up the phone and Katie was looking back at him with great tenderness.

Bridget confided in Nick about her nerves regarding the big charity showdown between Jackie M and Forrester. Bridget admitted she was terrified to go up against Ridge and her dad. Nick reminded Bridget that her designs beat out Forrester in the past, but Bridget wrote off his compliment and said other factors were involved.

Bridget pointed out that Bill Spencer's attack on Forrester had given an unfair advantage to Jackie M. Nick argued the point and said Jackie M had become the number one fashion house in L.A. because Bridget's designs were wonderful and women wanted to buy and wear them. Nick could tell Bridget was stressed and had her sit on the sofa with him while he massaged her sore hands. She gladly accepted. The two began to kiss, and Nick suggested they just pretend that they won already so they could begin celebrating.

Brooke passed Donna at Forrester and asked her to relay a message to Eric, if he wanted changes to the gowns they needed to be to the cutters by two. Donna balked and informed Brooke that no changes were needed because Eric's gowns were perfect as they were. Brooke said they had better be, because if Forrester lost the fashion showdown, the "Royalty" campaign would be over before it had even begun.

Donna suggested that Brooke needed a pep talk from their ever cheery sister, Katie. Brooke mentioned that Katie was with Bill Spencer, and Donna looked uneasy when she heard his name. Donna wondered why Katie would visit Bill Spencer, and noted he didn't have anything to do with the fashion challenge. Brooke explained that Katie went to ask Bill to cover the event objectively. Brooke noted if Bill didn't do what Katie asked, Forrester would be doomed.

Ridge walked in and overheard their conversation. He added that Bill Spencer was not judging the competition and had no say in the outcome. Brooke said even if he printed a bad review, it wouldn't matter. Brooke explained that she was certain the judges would be objective and judge the two fashion houses on design alone, with no hidden agenda.

Brooke reminded Ridge that while Bridget was a good designer, she was new and just learning the ropes, while Eric and Ridge were seasoned designers with years of experience and success. Ridge was pleased and said it sounded as if they could not lose.

Brooke assured Ridge that when the Logan sisters entered the stage in their "Forrester Royalty" gowns, they would bring the house down and Forrester would surely prevail. Ridge looked into Brooke's twinkling blue eyes and believed her.

Ridge began to pace and expressed more concerns to Brooke. Brooke reminded him that Forrester had been on the verge of ruin in the past, and they had come through it every time. She predicted the same would happen again. Ridge reminded Brooke that in the hard times of the past, Forrester didn't have Bill Spencer breathing down their necks waiting for them to fail. Brooke assured Ridge there was nothing Bill could do to affect the outcome of the fashion challenge.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

by Pam

Backstage, the fashion show excitement had hit as the Forresters prepared to take the runway. Stephanie offered her sincere best wishes to Ridge and Eric. Dottie thanked everyone for participating. Bridget also wished Brooke and Eric good luck, and commented that it was odd competing against her parents for the first time.

Also backstage, the Jackie M team gathered as Bridget joined them to excitedly launch their line in a public forum and in a contest atmosphere. Jackie looked around and said that the team was young, fresh, and very talented. They had nothing to fear from the Forresters. Jackie M had momentum and fresh ideas, and Forrester didn't have that kind of energy in their designs or their company.

In the crowded ballroom, Jarrett showed up and begged Bill to reconsider his offers to the judges. He wondered how Bill could squash Katie's hopes and her career by fixing the contest so that Jackie M would win.

Judges Melissa Rivers, Rich Ginger, and Sergei took their seats as Katie greeted Bill. He told her she would outshine everyone. The show began with Brooke, Donna, and Katie walking out on the runway to introduce the "Royalty" line. Brooke explained that Forrester wanted every woman to feel like royalty. The Logans left the stage and a model dressed in a sparkling black and white gown took the stage. Another model in a sleek black dress followed, and then the Logans took the stage in shimmering gold, white, and silver fabrics. They also donned additional outfits with regal capes and crowns. Katie caught Bill's eye and snagged a smile.

The audience enjoyed the show with Bridget, Jackie, and Nick commenting on how nice the designs were. Stephanie, Owen, and Jackie agreed that their designs were better and the audience was in for a treat. The Logans struck poses, and then exited backstage where all the Forresters were convinced they had done the very best they could have done.

Marcus and Rick sat in the audience and agreed the show was a success, and Taylor, Thomas, and Steffy also approved. Taylor told everyone that she was very impressed, but Thomas worried that the judges weren't overwhelmed. Backstage, Eric told Donna, Brooke, and Katie that they were a smash. Eric called Donna "Mrs. Forrester" and told her what a wonderful job she had done. They all headed out to sit in the audience to watch the Jackie M portion of the fashion show.

On the runway, Jackie took the stage and explained that the "Indulge" line allowed women to indulge in everything they wanted. She said she knew that she wanted to indulge. Upbeat music started as Jackie left, and a Jackie M model in a silvery sparkling dress strutted along the runway carrying a bottle of champagne and a champagne glass. She seemingly splashed the champagne at the judges, and colorful glitter sprayed all over the judges and the audience as the model pranced up and down the runway. The judges thoroughly enjoyed the fun, and applauded amid the sparkling glitter.

In the ballroom, Brooke noted that the judges seemed more excited about the Jackie M line than they had about the Forrester Creations line. They all worried that if they lost, consequences could be devastating for Forrester. Another model, wearing a similar sparkling dress, hit the runway with more glitz and glamor. High-energy music played in the background, and Steffy started moving to the music in her seat. Marcus gave her the eye to stop.

Backstage, Katie looked up hoping to find Bill, but she was surprised to see Jarrett. He told her that her campaign was magnificent, and that she and the Forresters had clearly worked very hard on a wonderful line. Katie thanked him. Jarrett also admitted that he would probably lose his job for telling her the truth, but he dropped the bombshell that the contest had been fixed.

Katie guessed that Jackie M had bribed the judges. Jarrett said he was embarrassed to admit that it was Bill, not Jackie M, who had bought the judges. Katie didn't believe Jarrett, but he told her it was true. Bill walked in and Jarrett scurried out the door. Katie asked if Bill had truly asked the judges to vote in favor of Jackie M. She couldn't believe that Bill could be so cruel. She said that she knew they had been growing closer, and she could feel that they were connecting when they'd had dinner together. She asked if he had truly bribed the judges, and then shouted that she deserved an answer.

Bill said he never had any intentions of hurting her, and then he became very quiet.

Friday, August 14, 2009

by Isaac Mayo

Backstage at the Fashion Challenge between Forrester Creations and Jackie M Designs, Katie confronted Bill, asking him if he had fixed the results by bribing the judges. When Bill didn't answer, Katie assumed that he had fixed the contest, and that he was still plotting to take over Forrester. Bill said that it was about business, and had nothing to do with Katie. Katie said that she thought that, despite Bill's hard exterior, deep down inside of him existed something decent and honorable. Katie began crying and told Bill that for someone so smart, he sure was stupid, because he could have had something better than Forrester -- and that something was Katie. She walked out of the room.

Jackie M's "Indulge" line was being featured on the runway, receiving an enthusiastic reception. Backstage, the Jackie M staff was pleased with the crowd's, and the judges', reactions. Bridget informed the group that Jackie and Owen were ready to go.

Katie entered the room where the show was taking place, and sat down with her sisters. Bill followed and watched both the show, and Katie, from a spot right behind the judges. Jackie M finished the contest with their showstopper -- a shirtless Owen being led on a leash by the cougar -- Jackie. At the Forrester table, the reaction was one of distaste. Jarrett sadly watched the judges, who gave the spectacle a standing ovation.

Backstage, the Jackie M crew was particularly pleased with judge Sergei's reaction. Nick and Stephanie congratulated Bridget on her designs. Jackie and Owen joined the group, and Whip thanked Jackie for doing a great job.

At the Forrester table, the Logan sisters discussed how outrageous the "Indulge" designs were. Ridge said that the contest was about which company had the best designs. Ridge and the Logan sisters seemed discouraged by the judges' reactions, but Eric reminded them that it wasn't over yet. Katie made eye contact with Bill, who was still standing behind the judges.

Dottie announced that the judges had reached a decision. She thanked Jackie M Designs and Forrester Creations for a magnificent contest. She reminded the crowd that, no matter the outcome of the vote, they had raised a great deal of money for a worthy charity. Dottie asked the judges to reveal their decisions.

Sergei voted for Jackie M, saying that they just plain sizzled. Melissa congratulated Jackie M on a very daring campaign, but she said that the Royalty campaign and the Logan sisters were the new queens of fashion. She cast her vote for Forrester. With a tie vote, it came down to the final judge -- Rich Ginger. Rich said that the designs were "smashing" all around -- but he had to give the nod to Forrester Creations. The Forresters and the Logans were thrilled that they had won.

Eric took the stage and thanked the judges. He said that Jackie M was a formidable competitor, particularly with their new young designer -- his daughter, Bridget. Ridge thanked everyone at Forrester -- in particular Katie, who had come up with the idea for the Royalty campaign. Katie took the stage, and said that Forrester would never have won without Eric and Ridge's beautiful designs. She said it was fun for the Logan sisters to have dressed up as princesses and queens, and that Forrester Creations had regained its place among fashion royalty. As she smiled at Bill, Katie thanked a "handsome prince" who had done the noble, decent, and right thing.

Katie began to approach Bill, but Donna and Brooke stopped her before Katie could reach him. Donna told Katie that she should join them for a night of celebration.

Bill asked Jarrett if he thought that Bill had gone soft. Jarrett said that, on the contrary, decency and romance had won that evening. Jarrett became teary-eyed when Bill said that he would allow Jarrett to keep his job.

Nick gave a pep talk to the Jackie M staff. He said that nobody had anything to apologize for. Stephanie chimed in and said that Nick was right -- that the votes could just as easily have gone their way. Whip said it felt like they had the contest sewn up until the very last minute, and then something happened.

Bill approached Ridge and Eric and told them that he was looking for Katie. Ridge told him that she was changing backstage. Bill offered his congratulations on the Forrester win, and told them that he had instructed Jarrett to write a glowing review of the Forrester designs. When Steffy said that there had to be a catch, Stephanie joined the group and said, "One would assume so." Stephanie then hugged Eric and Ridge and congratulated them. Privately, Rick asked Bill why he was having a change of heart about Forrester. Bill said that Katie and the Royalty campaign had changed his mind.

Backstage, Donna asked Katie to whom she was referring when she had thanked her handsome prince. Katie avoided the question and said that she was thrilled with the win. Donna said that she had, because of the judges' reaction, assumed that Jackie M was going to win. Brooke wondered what could have turned them around. Katie said that "when you do the right thing, it pays off." Brooke said that it sounded like Katie was talking about her mysterious prince again.

Bill ran into Whip. Whip told Bill that he was surprised by Jackie M's loss. Bill asked him if he thought that the judges were biased towards Jackie M. Whip said that everyone, including the Forresters, thought the judges were leaning towards Jackie M. When Whip asked Bill if he had any idea what had happened, Bill said that a young lady with a certain way of affecting peoples' lives had happened. Katie and Bill spotted each other across the room.

Donna ran into Stephanie, and referred to her as a "gracious loser." When Stephanie asked if Donna was rubbing the loss in, Donna said that she had meant it as a compliment. Stephanie thanked Donna, but told her that Forrester's success was due to Ridge and Eric's designs, and not to the "cockamamie" idea of the Logan girls as royalty. Donna said that night wasn't just a success for Forrester Creations -- it was a success for Brooke and Ridge as well.

Backstage, Ridge told Brooke that they needed the victory in the worst way. Brooke said that she knew how concerned Ridge had been about Forrester's future. Ridge said they weren't out of the woods yet. Brooke said that didn't mean that they shouldn't appreciate everything that they had accomplished -- as a company, and as a couple. Brooke said that she wanted to be with Ridge, and Ridge wanted to be with her, and that they should celebrate "in every way."

When Brooke said that she wanted Ridge to go home with her, Taylor, who had overheard the conversation, walked in and said, "Nice try, Brooke, but Ridge is coming home with me." Ridge said that both of them knew how he felt about them -- that they were beautiful, intelligent women. He said that he knew he couldn't live with both of them -- adding that after much thought, there was only one decision that he could make. Brooke and Taylor eagerly waited to hear what Ridge was going to say.

Jarrett joined the Forresters and congratulated them on their "well-deserved victory." Steffy said that Bill had told them that Jarrett was going to write a glowing review of the Royalty designs. Eric said that he was curious about Bill's change of heart towards Forrester. Jarrett, slightly tipsy, told the group conspiratorially that the reason Bill wasn't trying to bury Forrester was because of "the dark prince's feelings towards the fair Katie Logan."

Alone backstage, Katie told Bill that she couldn't believe what had just happened. Bill said that he couldn't either -- that he had Forrester in the palm of his hand and he let it go. He told Katie that his father would have been disgusted that Bill, because of his feelings toward a woman, hadn't crushed Forrester. Bill said that his father had always felt that a woman could be the most destructive force in a man's life -- and that night his father had been proven correct. Bill told Katie that his plan had been wrecked all because of her. They looked into each other's eyes, and began to kiss passionately.