In Brooke's cabin, Liam and Hope worked on their laptops at home alone. Liam and Hope remarked upon their quiet new year, and Liam found it strange that not even Deacon had been around since the turn of the new year. Hope preferred to believe that her father was busy with his new job. Liam questioned Deacon being too busy to contact her. She asked if Liam thought something had happened to Deacon. Liam felt that Deacon could take care of himself.
Hope appreciated Liam supporting her relationship with her father. In Liam's view, Deacon had made it easy by being on his best behavior. Liam hoped Deacon's absence didn't signal that Deacon had returned to his old ways. Hope revealed that Deacon might not be around because Brooke had told him to stay away. Liam asked why Brooke would do that.
All Hope knew was that Brooke didn't want Deacon in her life, but he could be in Hope's. Liam wondered if Ridge had gotten through to Brooke. Hope believed they'd find out, but in the meantime, she didn't want anything derailing Brooke's sobriety. Only Hope, Ridge, Liam, and Brooke knew about the issue, and that was the way Brooke wanted it. "Of course," Liam said. Hope especially didn't want Taylor and Steffy to find out because of how they felt about Brooke.
In the CEO's office, Thomas and Steffy claimed not to be out to undermine Ridge and Brooke's relationship. They said they were just worried. Ridge appreciated it but said his marriage was great, just like his relationships with his kids were great, no matter who he was married to. He suspected that Taylor's presence had stirred "this" up for Thomas and Steffy, but Ridge asserted that Brooke was his wife. He said nothing would change that.
Steffy brought up Hope's need to draw a line about Brooke and Ridge's marriage and asked why Hope was being so territorial. Thomas and Steffy were adamant that something was going on and didn't know why Ridge wouldn't tell them. Thomas said he and his sister didn't have a great track record with Brooke, but they wouldn't attack Brooke.
Ridge insisted that Brooke was fine, and there was nothing he and Brooke couldn't handle in their relationship. Thomas asked if Ridge was listening to himself. Upset, Ridge asked if they were listening to him. He repeated that things were fine with him and Brooke, and if anything, he had more respect for Brooke, her strength, and her honesty than ever.
Ridge reviewed the photos Steffy had taken of the gown, and as he complimented the work, Steffy and Thomas were finishing their father's sentences. Ridge said the ability to know what he was thinking was due to all the time they spent together. Steffy said she and Thomas were talking about having holidays together. They had wonderful memories as a family -- when they'd gotten to share it with Ridge. Ridge decided to go home and check on Brooke.
Later, Steffy was alone when Hope dropped off paperwork in the CEO's office. Steffy quipped that Hope was there to put her on notice. Hope wasn't but said the need to do so again would depend on whether Taylor and Steffy would respect Brooke's marriage. Steffy claimed they did respect it, but Steffy wished Hope would be more open and stop protecting Brooke.
Hope said Brooke didn't need protection and could take care of herself. Steffy brought up Hope's idea that Brooke needed Ridge. Hope said married couples needed each other. Steffy claimed it was Hope's choice to keep whatever was going on with Brooke hidden, but people were starting to ask questions -- people like Thomas, who'd wanted Brooke's input on a design.
Steffy returned to the topic of Hope putting Taylor and Steffy on notice. Hope hadn't meant to come on strong. She'd just wanted their "one big family" to respect its members accordingly. Steffy hoped Brooke's issue didn't interfere with her life or marriage more than it already had.
At Brooke's house, Deacon said he had been unable to stay away from Brooke and had needed to tell her how he felt. Brooke didn't want to know how he felt. She just wanted him to leave. Suspecting that wasn't the case, he said she feared what would happen if he stayed.
Laughing, Brooke said Deacon just wouldn't quit. The kiss was not what he was making it out to be, and if she'd been sober and in her right mind -- Deacon cut her off, figuring she'd say she would have fought harder against what had been happening. "Nothing was happening! I'm trying to get it through your thick skull! It was the alcohol, Deacon!" Brooke asserted.
Deacon replied that the booze had been part of it, but there had been more to it. Brooke disagreed. He said it was as if she was trying to convince herself, but he'd felt it when their lips had met. There had been a force pushing them together. It had been as if neither of them had been in control and never would be again. "You really gotta stop saying these things, Deacon," she said.
In Brooke's view, none of it should have happened. Deacon wondered how it kept happening to them. Brooke wanted to find out, so that it never happened again. "Ouch," he replied, but Brooke told him it wasn't as if it was some amazing fairy tale. Deacon quipped that they'd had one happy ending with Hope, and he said Brooke couldn't deny their connection.
Deacon conveyed that he'd honored Brooke's wishes and stayed away while Ridge had continued with his mixed feelings for her and Taylor. Deacon wasn't out to upset Brooke, but he said there might have been a reason for the kiss. He speculated that it would be amazing for Hope if he and Brooke got together. Brooke yelled at him to stop.
Brooke loved Ridge and wanted a life with him, but he'd leave her if he found out. Brooke refused to allow that to happen. She and Ridge had too much history. "So do we," Deacon claimed. She said she and Ridge shared a child. Deacon repeated that he and Brooke did, too.
Brooke received a message from Ridge, saying that he'd be home. Deacon decided to leave and let her process things. He said he loved her, and nothing would change it. Deacon kissed Brooke too quickly for her to process it before he was striding out the front door.
When Ridge arrived home later, he noticed that Brooke seemed frazzled. Hugging her, he said she could talk to him about anything. She guessed people at work were worried about where she'd been. He replied that the cool thing about being Brooke Logan was that she'd done so much for Forrester, she didn't have to answer to anyone, not even him.
Ridge knew Brooke was thinking of New Year's Eve. Brooke didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to focus on her love for Ridge and what he meant to her. She didn't know why she'd drunk and let him and herself down. She didn't ever want to do that again.
At Il Giardino, Deacon flashed back to times with Brooke and to New Year's morning.
At Forrester, Carter and Ridge met with Max about some supplier contracts. Max had been trying to get Carter to hang out with the guys after being on the sidelines since his broken engagement. Ridge asked why Carter wasn't back in "the game" and if he had his eye on someone already. Carter flashed back to kissing Paris but claimed that there was no one. Max persisted, deciding that they'd go to "Bikini" that night. He warned Carter not to back out.
Max left, and Ridge asked if Carter would take Max up on his offer. Carter said he would do it another time. Ridge suspected that Carter's mind was on someone else, like Quinn. Carter revealed that he was thinking about Quinn less and less and wanted his life to be simple. Ridge advised Carter to make that happen by not getting involved with already involved women.
In the design office, Zende worked with a gown on Sequoyah. She was interested in spending more time with him and wondered if they could get drinks that night. Zende flashed back to what Paris had said about being single, and he decided that drinks that night would be nice.
Paris entered, greeted Zende and Sequoyah, and asked if she'd just heard that they were going out that night. Zende told Sequoyah that he'd find her later. "You better," she replied and exited. Paris asked again about him going out with Sequoyah. He said he hadn't intended to until he'd recalled that Paris wasn't ready to get serious. He asked if he was wrong about that.
Paris figured she shouldn't have asked Zende about his date. She'd meant what she'd said about being young and free, and he'd obviously heard her. She was sorry if he felt let down. Zende was glad she'd been honest, and he understood where she was coming from.
Paris didn't want Zende to think she wanted to stop seeing him. She had many reasons that she enjoyed dating him, and she didn't take those reasons for granted. She figured she couldn't be greedy and keep him to herself. She wanted him to be happy, so she said he should go out and have fun. She didn't really want to hear about it the next day, though.
Zende stated that he and Paris could still care about each other and not be exclusive. His feelings hadn't changed, and he still saw a future with her in it, even if it was ten years from then. He affirmed that, someday, he'd make her his wife. She replied that she'd be the luckiest girl in the world. They kissed, and he left.
Later, Paris was deep in thought when Carter arrived. He asked what was going on, and Paris divulged what had transpired between Sequoyah and Zende. Carter assumed Paris hadn't expected it. Paris replied that she should have because Zende was a catch. Carter asked if she and Zende had discussed it. She said they had. It had been difficult to process, but upon seeing Carter, she seemed to feel a lot better about it. "Paris..." Carter replied.
Paris said Carter had been a good friend, but since "New Year's," things had changed. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened between them and their kiss.
At Brooke's house, Brooke tried to work but wound up flashing back to her drunken escapade. To her surprise, Taylor arrived on her doorstep. Taylor had been thinking about her and Brooke's conversation about possibly being friends. Taylor claimed to be there as a friend, but Brooke questioned whether it was a friendly visit.
Taylor conveyed that she'd spoken to Hope, and Steffy had talked to Ridge. Taylor said Steffy and Ridge were both concerned about Brooke, and everyone who cared about her could see that something was weighing on her. Taylor wanted to see how Brooke was doing and offer help. Taylor understood if Brooke didn't want to open up to her. Taylor asked if Brooke was okay.
Brooke claimed to be fine. Taylor had heard that Brooke was having a hard time and hadn't been at the office. Brooke didn't like that everyone was talking about her. Taylor brought up the problems Brooke and Ridge had about Deacon and gleaned that whatever was troubling Brooke had to be with Deacon. Claiming that she was a psychiatrist and helped people, Taylor offered to help Brooke. Brooke appreciated the offer but said she had a wonderful support system of her own.
Ridge arrived, and Taylor said she was there to check on Brooke. Brooke stated that she'd told Taylor everything was fine. Taylor hoped it was true and offered additional support if Brooke needed it. Ridge thought it was kind but said Brooke knew what she needed.
After Taylor had gone, Ridge figured that Taylor had offered to help because she'd felt Brooke could benefit from it. He could tell Brooke was still struggling with what had happened. Brooke hated keeping secrets. He remarked that Taylor was a professional. "No. No," Brooke asserted. He understood that she didn't want others to know, but he didn't think she should be ashamed.
Brooke admitted she was ashamed, embarrassed, and confused. Ridge thought it would make sense to talk to someone, but she disagreed. She felt she couldn't even explain it. She'd been sober and happy, not even thinking about drinking for years. Her behavior hadn't made sense.
Ridge wanted to focus on what did make sense -- her sobriety, their love, and their future. He was already past it and said that what had happened on New Year's Eve would be their secret. Brooke agreed, and they hugged.
In Sheila's hotel room, Sheila obsessed over whether her scam had worked and if Brooke had drunk. Sheila figured she wouldn't get the answers from Deacon, but there had to be someone else who'd be concerned about what was going on with Brooke. "Taylor," Sheila realized.
At Taylor's office, Taylor tried not to roll her eyes when Sheila arrived unannounced again. Sheila said she'd knocked that time. Sheila said she couldn't stop thinking about Taylor and Christmas Eve. Sheila admired how loved Taylor was and said it was a shame that Taylor had been separated from her family for so long. Sheila said that kind of thing affected her.
Taylor said she would imagine that it would, but she was leery about Sheila hoping Taylor would help Sheila make inroads with the family. Not expecting that, Sheila revealed that she'd overheard Steffy and Taylor's talk about Steffy wanting her parents together. Sheila figured it was hard to hear, and she assumed that Brooke wasn't letting Ridge see too much of Taylor.
Taylor asked where Sheila was going with her statements. It didn't seem fair to Sheila that Taylor, who'd spent years doing good work, had returned only to run up against the same brick wall -- Brooke. Sheila didn't know what Brooke's relationship with Ridge was with Deacon in the picture, and Taylor's presence had to be causing stress for Brooke. Sheila said that Brooke didn't deal well with stress. "How did she seem to you?" Sheila asked.
With Bill out of town, Liam opted to work from home, a decision that Hope enjoyed. The two discussed Brooke drinking on New Year's Eve. Hope struggled to understand what had happened on New Year's Eve to trigger her mom to suddenly start drinking.
In the living room of her home, Ridge asked Brooke how she felt about Taylor's unexpected visit. Brooke said that she had no reason to question Taylor's motives, but she admitted that she had not expected to have to answer questions about her "well-being."
As they sat on the sofa, Brooke nestled her head on Ridge's shoulder and wrapped her arm around his waist. She shared that she'd thought her desire to drink had been behind her. Ridge was certain that Brooke would get back on track because she was "being honest with everybody about what happened that night."
Brooke became increasingly agitated as she asked why she had suddenly gone "from zero to 60," where zero represented drinking non-alcoholic champagne and 60 stood for drinking vodka shots. As Brooke and Ridge talked, Hope listened in from outside. When Hope made her presence known, she echoed much of what Ridge had said: Brooke had taken responsibility for her actions and accepted help from those who loved her. Hope and Ridge promised Brooke that they were not judging her and would be there for her.
After Hope left, Ridge called Brooke a remarkable woman. He repeated that Brooke should not feel shame over her slip. Ridge pulled her close and embraced her. With Ridge's arms around her, Brooke thought back to New Year's Eve and kissing Deacon.
In Taylor's office, Sheila commented that "the vibe [had] suddenly shifted." Taylor asked why Sheila seemed "so stuck on Brooke." Sheila denied the claim and said that she had been "out of the loop" for a long time and just wanted to "fit back in" to Finn and Hayes's lives. Sheila reminded Taylor that Hayes's grandfather Ridge was married to Brooke.
Taylor hoped that Sheila was being honest. She added that she would hate to think that Sheila was getting "obsessed with Brooke again." Sheila swore that she was a changed woman. "[When] you're young, you think that the world owes you [...] and then time takes a hard look at you, and it beats you down," Sheila explained. Sheila began to chuckle as she realized that she was "explaining the human condition to one of the world's most renowned psychiatrists."
Sheila said that she just wanted to prove herself so that she could spend time with her son and grandson. Taylor said that she wanted to believe what Sheila had said, but she noted that she was still "gauging" and "assessing the situation." Sheila thanked Taylor for her willingness to allow Sheila to prove herself, but Sheila said that she was surprised that Taylor was not equally annoyed by Brooke as Sheila was.
Back in her hotel room, Sheila paced back and forth talking to herself. She said that she needed to know if Brooke had fallen into the trap that Sheila had set. She snarled that Brooke's day of reckoning was coming.
At Forrester Creations, Carter entered the design office and asked Paris why she was frowning. Paris confessed to being deep in thought about Zende and Sequoyah's date. Carter said that he had thought that Paris had wanted her and Zende to be able to date other people. Paris repeated her belief that she was "way too young to be committed" to one person. However, she admitted that she had been caught off guard seeing Zende making plans with another woman.
Carter laughed slightly as he accused Paris of being jealous. Paris didn't confirm or deny that she was jealous and doubled down by saying that she believed she had made the best choice for where she was in her life. "There was always something imbalanced about our relationship," Paris sighed. Paris thanked Carter for being caring and supportive.
"Don't tell anyone, but I'm one of your biggest fans," Carter said quietly. He somewhat bashfully admitted that he liked having Paris in his life. "You intrigue me. I've never met someone like you," he explained, adding that she was "endlessly fascinating." Paris confessed that she could not stop thinking about their kiss.
Later, Douglas emerged from his room, looking for Hope. When Liam explained that Hope was with Brooke, Douglas giddily remarked, "I saw Grandma kissing Santa Claus." Liam's eyes widened, and he explained that the lyrics to the Christmas song involved Mommy kissing Santa Claus. Douglas repeated that he had seen Grandma kissing Santa. Asked when he'd supposedly seen the smooching, Douglas stated that it had been on New Year's Eve.
Douglas swore that he was telling the truth, but Liam didn't believe him. Douglas became more and more adamant about what he'd seen. He suggested that Santa might have returned to give Brooke a present, and Brooke might have been thanking Santa by giving him a kiss. Liam looked curiously at Douglas, but before he could say anything more, Hope returned.
Liam told Hope about Douglas saying that he'd seen Grandma kissing Santa Claus. Like Liam had done earlier, Hope told Douglas that he was "misremembering" the song. Douglas told Hope that he'd seen Brooke kissing Santa Claus on New Year's Eve -- at night. Liam wagged his finger at Douglas and recalled that Douglas was supposed to have been inside the cabin at that time.
Douglas apologized and said that he had only gone up to the house to look for his stuffed bunny and "saw Grandma kissing Santa."
In Brooke's cabin, Hope and Liam tried to make sense of Douglas' fascination with the phrase "I saw Grandma kissing Santa Claus." Douglas was adamant that he'd seen a man in a red and white hat kissing Brooke. Liam and Hope tried to make sure Douglas really meant New Year's Eve, not Christmas Eve. Douglas persisted in his belief that it had been New Year's Eve.
Douglas apologized for going to the house, but he'd needed his bunny. That had been when he'd seen Grandma kissing Santa. Hope and Liam made sure Douglas knew that they weren't mad at him. Hope admonished Douglas for sneaking around the property at night when no one knew about it and asked him to promise that he'd never do it again.
Douglas asked if Liam and Hope were upset that he'd seen Grandma with Santa. They explained that they were trying to figure out how it was possible and again wondered if Douglas had confused his days. They brought up Christmas Eve again, and Liam claimed he always got that day and New Year's Eve mixed up. Douglas was confident about what night it had been. Hope asked Douglas to tell her everything he remembered about that night.
A flashback played as Douglas revealed what had happened that night. He hadn't seen Santa's face, and no one had seen Douglas, either. Hope and Liam wondered if Douglas had dreamed it or imagined it, but Douglas was certain of what he'd seen. Liam and Hope decided that Douglas had seen it, and they thanked him for the details.
Douglas went to do his homework, and Hope decided that the only way to know what Douglas was talking about would be to have a conversation with her mother.
Later, Hope had gone, and Douglas returned to the living room. He was still thinking of what he'd just told Hope and Liam and didn't want them to be disappointed in him. Liam dispelled that notion, saying he and Hope were happy and proud that Douglas had told them everything. Douglas asked if Hope would tell Grandma that he'd seen Grandma kissing Santa.
At Brooke's house, Ridge did his best to support Brooke. He said they were in it together, and it was him and her forever. She wondered how she'd gotten lucky enough to have a man like him. He revealed that he needed her a lot more than she needed him.
Brooke didn't know how Ridge could put up with her after she'd created another issue for them. Ridge said they'd promised to stay loyal for better or worse, and they'd deal with it as a couple. She hoped so. "We got this. I'm not going anywhere," Ridge vowed.
Brooke was still fixated on the reason she'd drunk. Ridge said she might never know. She wished she could redo the night, and he wished he'd been with her. Brooke didn't want him feeling guilty about traveling. Ridge stated that he hadn't had to go; he'd wanted to go. He'd wanted to be a part of it and be the big star. That was why he'd gone.
Brooke said she would have told Ridge if she'd had an inkling that she'd be in trouble. Upset, Ridge replied that she was his wife, his "person," and he should have known she'd been in trouble. She reasoned that he hadn't had to worry about her in years, and he couldn't have predicted it. He vowed to be more intuitive and present. Brooke said she was the ashamed one.
Ridge asked Brooke to stop saying it. He was emotional about how honest she'd been, and it made him want to be a better person. He loved Brooke very much. The two hugged.
Later, Brooke was alone, recalling drinking and kissing Deacon. Hope arrived, and Brooke said Ridge had gone back to the office. Hope brought up the fact that Douglas had left his stuffed bunny there on New Year's Eve. Brooke offered to run it over if she found it. Hope conveyed that wasn't the point. She further explained that Douglas had sneaked back up there that night to get it. "So, maybe, is there anything he shouldn't have seen?" Hope asked.
Frowning, Brooke asked what Hope meant. Hope stated that Douglas had looked through the windows and had seen Brooke. Brooke asked if Douglas had seen her drinking. Hope said that wasn't it, and Brooke was relieved because she wouldn't know how to explain that to him.
Hope wished there was an easy way to say it, and she conveyed that Douglas had said he'd seen Brooke kissing Santa Claus. "What?" Brooke exclaimed. Hope added that the boy had seen Brooke kiss a man in a red and white hat.
Brooke flashed back to Deacon putting on the Santa hat. She became visibly upset, and Hope demanded that Brooke say what was going on. Hope added that Ridge hadn't been home. He'd "still been off at work." Hope asked Brooke to answer and say what had gone on that night.
At Carter's place, Carter and Paris arrived to work on her financial portfolio. As he prepared to show her what he'd come up with, she said she knew that she was in good hands. The numbers Carter showed her proved it, and he complimented her on building quite a nest egg for herself.
Paris called Carter a financial genius. She said his support and help meant everything to her, and she didn't mean just financially. She felt lucky to have him in her corner, helping her with finances and getting her job. Carter replied that she'd been the perfect fit for Forrester. She didn't know what she'd do without his guidance, including about Zende. Carter said if she wasn't ready, she wasn't ready. Paris knew that she wasn't ready for marriage because she couldn't stop thinking of the kiss with Carter.
Carter described it as a New Year's surprise. Paris believed that something had been building up between her and Carter for a long time. It had been why she couldn't fully commit to Zende. "And here we are...and I like it," she uttered. Carter revealed that he liked it, too. They each felt a little guilty about it, and neither of them had been expecting it. She confessed that she might have gotten a little caught up. Carter replied that they both had.
Paris said she had felt bad about the timing, but the circumstances had changed. Zende was out with a model, and Paris was there with Carter. Carter leaned in and kissed Paris. Paris said that it could be complicated. "I know," Carter uttered, and their kiss deepened.
At Brooke's house, Hope asked if Brooke knew what Douglas, who wasn't in the habit of lying, had been talking about and why he'd say Brooke had been kissing Santa. Brooke replied that she had something to tell Hope, and she admitted that Deacon had returned to the house that night after the party had ended.
Hope hadn't heard that before and asked if Deacon had gotten Brooke to drink. Hope was worried that Deacon had done something that had gotten Brooke to bar him from being around, and Hope asked what exactly Deacon had done.
Brooke affirmed that her drinking had started on her own. Deacon had tried to stop her, but she'd instead gotten him to join her. Hope assumed Brooke had asked Deacon to stay away because they'd drunk together, and she asked if Brooke was still drinking. Brooke swore that she wasn't, but she had been tempted a little bit. It had been nothing like that night, and she still didn't know where that temptation had come from.
Hope was sure Brooke would get through it because she had a lot of support and could trust that Hope and Ridge would be there. Hope sensed that more was going on. Brooke referred back to what Douglas had seen. Hope said it would make sense if the boy had seen Brooke laughing and talking with Deacon. "You were kissing my father," Hope concluded.
Hope asked Brooke to confide in Hope. Brooke explained that Deacon had returned to get the phone he'd left. Ridge had called, saying he couldn't be there, and distraught about it, Brooke had gone for the vodka. Hope wished Deacon had stopped Brooke. Brooke replied that he'd tried, but she hadn't let him. She'd justified her drinking because of the holiday, and she'd convinced Deacon of it, too. They'd had fun and joked around. He'd found the Santa hat.
Hope assumed that was when Douglas had seen them. Brooke said she and Deacon had been reminiscing, talking about the good times. There had been a closeness. It had felt good. "And, well, we kissed. Yep. Yeah, your father and I kissed," Brooke confessed. Hope was glad Brooke had told Hope and wanted Brooke to take it easy on herself because it had just been a kiss.
"Well, that's not all, sweetheart," Brooke revealed. Although she and Deacon had only kissed, he had slept in her bedroom that night. Brooke had been too drunk, and he'd been worried that she'd pass out. He'd taken her and put her to bed. When she'd awakened, he'd been on top of the covers, and they both had been fully dressed.
Hope asked what would have happened if Ridge had returned. Brooke remembered what a wreck she'd been and trying to clean up the evidence. She asked how she'd risked losing her marriage. Brooke was sure Taylor and Steffy were just waiting for something to happen, so they could welcome Ridge back. Brooke was sure Ridge would never accept it. She believed that she'd lose him forever if he knew what had happened.
At Forrester, Steffy was making fun of the serious expression Ridge had in a photo featured in a magazine interview. Taylor entered and loved hearing their laughter and seeing Ridge and Steffy work together like that. Steffy thought nothing was better than having Taylor back in town. Ridge agreed and said he was glad that Taylor was there.
Thomas arrived, and Ridge conveyed that some designs that Thomas had submitted were exactly what Ridge had wanted. Steffy cooed that her brother had gotten it right on the first try, and Taylor claimed that "this" was why she'd returned to town. She'd missed "this."
Steffy said she had to get to a meeting with Katie, but before she left, she asked if everyone wanted to have dinner later at her house. Taylor said she'd finagle her schedule and definitely make it for dessert. Thomas was in, but Ridge had to check his schedule. Assuming that meant to check with Brooke, Steffy said he was so worried that he couldn't leave Brooke alone for one evening.
Ridge didn't want to talk about Brooke and said he'd let Steffy know. Steffy asked Thomas if he was ready for the meeting. Thomas got the hint, and Taylor grinned to herself. Thomas and Steffy left. Taylor called Steffy the queen of subtle in her attempt to give her parents time alone.
Taylor knew Ridge didn't want to talk about Brooke, but Taylor claimed to be a good listener. She was happy to be back and hadn't been that happy in a long time. Ridge said she deserved it. "I do," replied Taylor, claiming she'd worked hard and done a lot of self-exploration. She'd asked herself tough questions like why she'd chosen to miss so much time with her family for so long. She felt that she should have been there for her children.
Ridge replied that Taylor was there at that point, and the kids were thrilled. He stated that he was smiling. Taylor said he had no idea how happy his smile made her. Ridge wanted to know if Taylor had found answers to her questions. She claimed it was complicated. She'd stayed away for many reasons, but the main one had been Brooke and knowing he'd made a life with her.
Taylor said she couldn't help but think of what could have been if Sheila hadn't shot her and if Taylor and Ridge had stayed married and a family after Taylor had made her way back home. She lamented the life they could have had. Taylor turned to go, but Ridge pulled her in for a hug.
At Carter's place, Carter and Paris gazed at each other in wonder. She said it had been unexpected, but Carter asked if it really had been. They each admitted that they'd been feeling something building between them. He asked what happened next, and she hoped it would be another kiss. Carter said he liked the sound of that, but he'd meant with Zende.
Paris said she cared about Zende, but he got that they needed freedom. She said Zende was on a date; that was good for him, and it was good for Paris to be with Carter. Carter assumed that they were letting "this" happen, whatever "this" was. Paris didn't know what it was, but she liked it. Carter asked if she was okay with it. She said she was more than okay with it. The two kissed again.
