Rick tried to stop thinking about Kimberly and blamed himself for his situation with Amber. "At least Kimberly is still talking to me," Rick said. Outside, Amber trapped Kimberly in a headlock and accused Kimberly of turning Rick against her. Kimberly understood why the Forresters did not want Rick to marry Amber -- she was "a bitch!" Amber warned Kimberly that Rick was off-limits and pushed her into the Forrester pool.
Macy went next door to tell Thorne about her father. Thorne was surprised to hear Macy's father had been in L.A. for months. Macy said he'd returned because of Grant. Grant had brought her father back, something no one else had been able to do. Macy explained that the reason Adam Alexander had left was because he'd been working undercover for an illegal operation, and when his cover had been blown, Adam hadn't wanted to involve Sally or Macy, so he'd left. Her father had had no other choice.
Thorne advised Macy to be careful. Thorne's date stopped over, and Macy left, a little jealous.
Myles was shocked when Kimberly arrived home, sopping wet, and he learned Kimberly had been involved with boy who was engaged and expecting a baby with another woman. Kimberly countered by saying that she'd tried to tell her father; however, he'd kept disappearing, and she never knew when he would be back. Kimberly explained that Rick was trying to do the right thing, but Amber kept trapping him. Myles was furious to learn Eric had asked his daughter to get involved. Myles ordered Kimberly to never have anything to do with Rick again and vowed that Eric would not get away with it.
Amber joined Rick in his room and said the whole thing with Kimberly was a big "what if." Rick was attracted to what Kimberly represented, not the person, and what Kimberly represented was not real. Amber felt they were close to getting married and having everything they'd always wanted. After Amber left, Rick bade Kimberly goodnight while Kimberly wished Rick a good night.
Myles blasted Eric for involving Kimberly in Rick's mess. Eric countered by saying he had hoped Kimberly would be able to stop Rick from making a major mistake. Myles thought Eric felt it was okay for Kimberly to sacrifice her happiness for Rick's sake and demanded that Rick stay out of Kimberly's life.
Pierce praised Taylor for her work on their sexual responsibility video. Pierce was planning a wrap party for that night and asked if Taylor knew of any great singers. Taylor mentioned her brother-in-law and his ex-wife, Macy. Pierce called Macy and asked to see her. He needed help with his new project and wanted Macy to go there at once. Macy agreed to help, and Pierce advised Taylor to wait and see what he had in store for her -- it would blow her away.
Brooke sported a fabulous short haircut while Ridge was measuring some lingerie that Brooke happened to be modeling. Ridge made a crack about her weight. Brooke said if she lost weight around her thighs, she would also lose weight "here," and she placed Ridge's hands directly on her breasts. Ridge removed his hands from her breasts and continued measuring while Brooke fantasized about Ridge touching and caressing her. Brooke recalled their trip to Italy the year before and their honeymoon. Taylor caught Brooke saying whenever she put that lingerie on, she felt like she was back in Italy with Ridge.
Sally was determined to find out who the mystery benefactor was that had saved Spectra from financial ruin. Macy called her mother while she was at Pierce's to let Sally know she was okay. Sally and Darla thought it was wonderful that Macy had been asked to work with Pierce. Pierce handed Macy some lyrics he wanted turned into a song that he was going to sing at the party that night. Pierce admitted he had never sung before and needed a voice coach. Macy said she would like to help but had a lot going on in her life already. Pierce showed how serious he was by handing Macy a big, fat check. Macy agreed to help.
Taylor dropped by Forrester to tell Ridge she and Pierce had finished shooting the video and were planning a party to celebrate. Brooke got word that Jack Abbott from Genoa City would be arriving to meet with her to discuss a new fragrance. Since Jack was going to be in L.A., Brooke told Taylor that Ridge would not be able to make it to the party, after all.
Taylor thought Brooke could handle the meeting alone, but Brooke said Jack was expecting to see Ridge. "Ridge just agreed to spend the evening with his wife," Taylor said. Ridge said he would meet with Jack Abbott and still make it to Taylor's party. He gave Taylor his word he would make it to the party.
Sally was happy Macy was helping Pierce, but the important thing was that Macy was getting back on her feet. Macy mentioned something else during the call that had made her very happy. Darla thought Pierce wanted Macy to sing at his party that night. While Pierce and Macy practiced, Macy concluded that the song was a classic love song, and whoever it was written for had to be special to inspire him like that.
After Ridge left, Taylor said the only reason Ridge was attending the meeting was because Brooke had ordered him. Brooke said she had made an executive decision, but Taylor didn't buy that excuse. Taylor knew Brooke wanted her to believe Ridge had chosen to spend the evening with Brooke, but Taylor was sure Ridge would be at the party. He would not let his wife down. "We'll see about that," Brooke said.
Sally realized Ridge and Taylor would be at Pierce's party and imagined the fireworks, since Pierce had the hots for Taylor. Pierce loved a challenge about as much as Sally liked to see the Forrester dynasty fall apart. If Pierce got out of line, Ridge would surely make a scene, and Sally did not want to miss any of the action. Darla reminded Sally that their names were not on the invitation list, but that was not going to stop Sally Spectra -- Sally and Darla were going to that party, whether they were invited or not.
Brooke had dinner prepared in case the meeting ran late and told Ridge she was not going to rush the meeting just because he had a party to go to. Brooke did not think Forrester had a chance to make a deal with Jabot unless they were totally focused.
Pierce readied for the party and surprised Taylor with a gorgeous dress he'd had designed especially for her to wear that night. Pierce said to himself that the dress was only the first of many surprises for Taylor that night. It would be a celebration she would never forget. Pierce wanted Taylor, and after that night, he would be one step closer to having her.
Eric entered his office, asking Ridge, Thorne, and Brooke if they were set, as Jack Abbott from Genoa City cosmetics company Jabot was about to arrive. Ridge assured Eric they were ready, but he paced and seemed preoccupied. Brooke noticed that Ridge kept checking his watch. Ridge admitted he was thinking about Taylor, which reminded Thorne that Taylor's big reception was that night. Eric wished Ridge could attend it, while Ridge realized the meeting with Jack took precedence. Megan buzzed through on the intercom and announced Jack, who walked in smiling and told Eric it was good to see him again.
James popped into Stephanie's office, and the two traded compliments about their formalwear. James wondered where they were going. Stephanie revealed that they were going to the hottest party in town -- a gala thrown by Pierce. James realized the occasion was Pierce's new video, and James assumed Taylor had gotten him and Stephanie an invitation. Stephanie admitted that Taylor didn't know they would be there; Stephanie just wanted to get a look at Pierce, the man who had monopolized so much of Taylor's time. Stephanie took James's arm and said it was time to check out Pierce Peterson.
At Pierce's mansion, Taylor's hair and makeup were being done by professionals. A tuxedo-clad Pierce arrived for a progress report. He told Taylor that the guests downstairs were asking for her, which surprised her. Putting a hand on her shoulder, Pierce deemed the gala the final act of their brilliant achievement. Taylor wanted to know if Pierce always ended his projects with such blowouts. Pierce felt the project with Taylor was special and thought they should celebrate.
Taylor asked Pierce if he had seen Ridge downstairs. When Pierce recalled Ridge having a meeting, Taylor confidently replied that Ridge was planning to get out of it early. Pierce proclaimed to Taylor that it was their evening, and he didn't want it clouded with other issues. Pierce revealed that he had a surprise for Taylor and that she should expect the unexpected -- in the form of Pierce doing something unexpected.
With Darla at her side, Sally insisted to Pierce's doorman that not all of Pierce's guests were on the guestlist. When the doorman offered to talk to Pierce, Sally cooed that doing so would ruin her surprise appearance. Sally saw Pierce mingling with his guests and got the idea to pretend that Pierce was Darla's brother; Sally hid Darla's face to keep Pierce from seeing his "sister." The doorman relented upon hearing Sally and Darla were part of Pierce's family, and he let them in.
Pierce checked with Macy to make sure she had gone over everything with her band. When Macy asked Pierce if he was ready to go through with his plan, Pierce nervously said he was. Pierce hoped that what he was about to do would have the desired effect but wouldn't answer Macy's question as to what that effect was. "Unreal," Macy said to herself after Pierce stepped away.
Alone, Taylor fidgeted in the mirror and looked over her glittering dress, begging for Ridge not to let her down. She reiterated that she needed him there at the party. Pierce returned and was surprised to see that Taylor still wasn't dressed. When Taylor hinted that she didn't want to dress until Ridge arrived, Pierce asked her not to do that to herself. Pierce wondered how many times Ridge was going to disappoint Taylor, who insisted she wouldn't be disappointed because Ridge knew how important the celebration was to her. Pierce reminded Taylor that the party was her moment and that there were wonderful people waiting for her downstairs. Taylor silently relented and went into the washroom to change.
Sally and Darla toasted with their Champagne and gushed over how fabulous everything was, from the décor to the food. Darla noticed a gentleman whom Sally posited was a failed captain of industry that Pierce had saved. The man locked eyes with Darla and introduced himself as Bernard Scoggins, the CEO of Computech. Bernard was stunned when Sally changed her guess and correctly predicted he was a retired international spy who had found salvation in Pierce's tapes. Bernard excused himself, and Darla hungrily said she needed to get a tape for herself.
Sally picked Macy out in the crowd and was happy to see her laughing with other guests. Darla wanted to know what had precipitated the change in Macy's mood, so Sally took Darla with her to find out.
James and Stephanie appeared, wowed by the assortment of glamorous guests. James noted they were all there to honor Pierce, but Stephanie added that Taylor was about to be honored, as well. James mused on how much credit Pierce had planned to give Taylor, and Stephanie said that was what she and James were there to find out.
Pierce made an entrance at the second-floor railing and thanked everyone for attending. He called his work a collaborative effort and remarked that the project being celebrated owed its success to Taylor, whom Pierce introduced. Stephanie seemed bothered by the way Pierce looked at Taylor.
Jack told Eric he had known Brooke by reputation only, commenting that it was quite a reputation. Then Jack met Thorne and Ridge, whom Jack said he had wanted to meet since the fashion show in Lake Como, Italy. Jack wondered why the Forresters had requested a meeting with him.
Ridge was sure Jack had heard about the launch of Forrester's Brooke's Bedroom line. Jack questioned if it was a little over the top for Eric, but Eric chalked it up to creative freedom. Ridge confessed that Forrester wanted Jabot to create a fragrance to be included in Brooke's Bedroom. When Jack asked if such a fragrance would also be connected to the couture line, Eric clarified that it was meant for the lingerie line only. Brooke said they wanted a sexy fragrance, and Ridge reported that they'd received $20 million in orders based solely on their press release. Brooke caught on to Jack's lascivious reaction to the collection, and when Jack agreed to see a design, Brooke shucked off her robe and displayed the lacy teddy she wore underneath, getting Jack's full attention.
Macy was dismayed to see her mother and Darla had crashed the party. Macy disclosed to the inquisitive Sally that she was there to do Pierce a favor, which was a surprise she couldn't talk about, though Macy had figured out who the surprise was for. Sally bubbled about how much better Macy seemed and guessed it had to do with Pierce. Macy would only say her change of heart had to do with a man other than Pierce and that suddenly, everything was different.
Taylor caught up with Stephanie and James and presumed Ridge was at the gala with them. Taylor's face fell when Stephanie said that Ridge was not but that Ridge had said he would try to make it. Taylor fumed that Ridge had promised to be with her, and when Pierce approached and said their guests wanted to talk to her, Taylor tearfully begged off and ran upstairs.
Ridge checked his watch again while Brooke enticed Jack to feel the teddy's fabric. Thorne told Jack the bedroom line consisted of teddies, negligees, nightgowns, robes, and even flannel. Ridge wanted to sew up the deal but hedged when Thorne suggested they all go out to dinner afterwards to celebrate. Brooke reminded Ridge that Jack was only in town for the day. Eric moved on and entreated Jack to let Jabot create a fragrance for Forrester. Jack seemed to consider the request carefully.
Pierce found Taylor crying in her upstairs room and asked if there was anything he could do. Taylor apologized; Pierce said he was sorry, as well, and twice suggested he go to Forrester to retrieve Ridge. Taylor stopped Pierce and sobbed that Pierce shouldn't have to get Ridge, who knew how important his attendance was to Taylor. Pierce hated to see Taylor's evening ruined and felt Taylor had worked too hard to not enjoy her success. Pierce wanted Taylor to be happy. Taylor recognized she was acting like a child and apologized again.
Taylor agreed to pull herself together and go back downstairs, but first, Pierce wanted to give Taylor something he hoped would cheer her up. Pierce retrieved an elegant black box that he said was a token of appreciation he had intended to give her after the party. Pierce opened the box, and Taylor gasped to see an opulent diamond necklace inside. Taylor insisted she couldn't take the gift because it was too expensive. Pierce said it was nothing compared to what Taylor had given him.
Taylor asked if the jewelry was the surprise he had told her to expect, but he said that surprise would come later. Taylor marveled that Pierce had always gotten so much pleasure from her successes. Taylor said she had never known anyone so generous. Taylor agreed to wear the necklace at the party to honor Pierce. Taylor let Pierce drape the necklace around her neck. Pierce rested a hand on her shoulder again and gazed at her lovingly.
Due to the Christmas holiday, The Bold and the Beautiful did not air an original episode this day. Broadcasting resumed on Monday and picked up where Thursday's show concluded.
