Outside the design office, Grace left after witnessing Carter and Paris kissing inside.
Inside the office, Carter said he and Paris were playing with fire. He bet they hadn't locked the door but reasoned that it probably would have been suspicious to someone if they had. He felt that it was dangerous to give in to their feelings at work, where anyone could walk in on them. Paris knew it, but she couldn't stop desiring being in Carter's arms.
Carter felt the same way; however, Zende still loved Paris, and Carter didn't want to be that guy who moved in on his friend's girl. It wasn't the kind of man Carter was -- at least it hadn't been before his affair with Eric's wife. Carter didn't want to hurt Zende that way.
Paris disliked causing Zende pain, but "the way you make me feel..." Carter figured he could say "to hell with" everyone else, but he was trying to do better. He urged her to think about what they had to lose, and he reasoned that she didn't want to mess up her future by getting on the Forresters' bad side. Carter believed that their attraction had to stay between only them.
Paris kissed Carter and left for a meeting with Katie. Grace arrived, closing the door behind her. Carter said she'd just missed her daughter, but she indicated that she desired to talk to him.
Grace said she'd never stop thinking about her daughters and wanting them to live their best lives. She couldn't be more pleased that Paris had a great job, friends, and a sweet and pure relationship with Zende. Grace saw an amazing future for Paris, whom Zende loved. In Grace's view, men like Zende didn't happen along every day. Carter agreed.
Glad that she and Carter could agree, Grace discerned that things were going better than she'd anticipated. Carter grew confused by what she meant. She replied that he seemed to want the best for Paris, and in Grace's view, the best was Zende, not Carter.
In Brooke's cabin, Brooke was still wondering what had possessed her to do what she'd done with Deacon. Liam and Hope advised Brooke that it might come to her after she cleared her mind, but sometimes, one had to keep living, even if one never found the answers.
Hope said Deacon had promised not to tell anyone what had happened. She didn't think he'd go back on his word after working so hard to earn her trust. Hope added that Deacon didn't want to hurt Brooke. Liam agreed, wondering why Deacon would alienate the person he claimed to love.
Hope was confident that Deacon wouldn't talk. Brooke hoped that Douglas wouldn't, either. Insisting that Douglas believed he'd seen Santa, Liam and Hope believed the secret was safe.
At the cliff house, Thomas asked Douglas if he'd been afraid to tell Thomas the truth. Douglas hadn't been afraid and was glad he'd done it. Douglas told Thomas the entire story from beginning to end about stumbling upon the kiss while in search of the bunny. Thomas asked if Douglas was sure, and Douglas affirmed that Brooke had been kissing Deacon.
Steffy exited Kelly's room and saw how serious Douglas and Thomas appeared to be. Thomas thanked Douglas for being open and honest. Thomas sent Douglas to watch a movie with Kelly then informed Steffy that she wouldn't believe what Douglas had just told him.
Steffy asked what Thomas was talking about. Thomas explained that Douglas had seen Brooke kissing Santa Claus. Steffy assumed that it had been their father on Christmas Eve. Thomas stated that it had been New Year's Eve, and it hadn't been their father. Steffy asked Thomas to say what he was talking about, and Thomas revealed that Brooke had been kissing Deacon.
At Il Giardino, Deacon tried to get rid of Sheila, who was eager to know if drinks had been the only thing he'd shared with Brooke on New Year's Eve. He replied that Sheila would be the last person to know if anything had happened. Sheila pretended to be hurt, but Deacon was confident that she'd sell him out in a second if it would hurt Brooke.
Deacon spotted Ridge at the entrance and urged Sheila to get lost before Ridge saw them together. Sheila assumed Ridge was there to smash Deacon's face due to the happy hour Deacon had had with Brooke. Deacon told her to scram, and she left the bar.
Ridge approached and asked if Deacon could be more predictable than to be found hanging out in a bar. Deacon didn't want Ridge making it out to be something it wasn't. As Deacon stocked the bar, he said he was working there, mopping floors and cleaning bathrooms, in exchange for boarding in a storage closet, and he was doing it to be near his daughter. He figured that the privileged Ridge had never done a hard day's work in his life.
Ridge said it had been easy that day because he'd had to find Deacon, and it had been easy to find Deacon in a bar, where he'd always be. Ridge said that where Deacon didn't belong, however, was at Ridge's house, around Hope, the kids, or Brooke. Deacon stated that Ridge couldn't do anything about Deacon's relationship with Hope, and the kids were a package deal.
As for Brooke, Deacon didn't know where Ridge was going with that part. Ridge said he didn't trust Deacon and sensed he was working an angle. Confessing that Ridge had him, Deacon stated that his angle was making up the past and being a good father and grandfather.
Ridge replied that Hope had made her choice, but he didn't want Deacon around Brooke. Deacon reasoned that his and Brooke's paths would cross because they shared a child together. Ridge conveyed that Deacon was a curse, and bad things happened to Brooke when he was around. Ridge asked Deacon to do Ridge a favor and stay away from Ridge's wife.
Deacon believed Ridge was worked up over nothing. Ridge reasoned that Hope was a great cover, but he wondered if she'd become collateral damage due to Deacon being obsessed with a woman who had nothing to do with him. Deacon concluded that Ridge was obsessed with the idea that only Brooke mattered to Deacon, but in truth, Hope was Deacon's whole world.
Ridge didn't believe it. He sensed there was something else, but he assured Deacon that Brooke would never revisit the worst mistake of her life with him. Flashing back to Brooke kissing him, Deacon asked if Ridge was sure about that.
In her hotel room, Sheila gazed in the mirror and congratulated herself on getting Brooke off the wagon. She said it was just the first step of Brooke's world crashing down. "Karma really is a bitch, Brooke. Just like you," Sheila stated.
In Brooke's cabin with Hope, Brooke still worried that Deacon or Douglas would talk about New Year's Eve. Brooke asserted that she would never have wound up in Deacon's arms had it not been for the alcohol. She and Deacon never would have kissed, and her marriage never would have been in jeopardy. Hope said that Ridge loved Brooke. Brooke wanted to believe that love conquered all, "but with a kiss that's this explosive..."
Hope believed that Deacon, who loved Brooke, would do his best to protect and defend her. There were four people who knew what had happened, and those four people were committed to not talking about it. Brooke reminded Hope that Douglas, a sweet little boy, also knew but had no idea of the ramifications of the word getting out.
Though Brooke had talked to Douglas, she was worried he would say something else. She feared that if Douglas told Thomas, it would get around to Steffy and Taylor, and Brooke's marriage would be over for good. Brooke believed it would be the beginning of the end.
The tearful Brooke said there was a limit to what Ridge could forgive after all those years. Hope urged Brooke to stop stressing herself and simply focus on recommitting to her sobriety. Hope asked Brooke to stay positive and believe that her secret would remain safe.
At the cliff house, Steffy stated that Douglas was a child with an active imagination. Thomas agreed, but he believed that Douglas had actually seen Brooke kissing Deacon. Thomas said it was shocking, but not. Steffy wanted to hear everything Douglas had said.
Thomas said Steffy already knew most of the story. The only part they hadn't known was that it had been New Year's Eve, not Christmas Eve. Thomas explained how he'd gotten Douglas to recall Santa's face, and Douglas had revealed that it had been Deacon in a Santa hat.
Steffy was floored that Brooke had turned to Deacon, whom Ridge hated. Thomas explained that Brooke had told Douglas not to say anything and to keep it in the past. Steffy believed that "they" were trying to cover it up or else "they" wouldn't have asked Douglas to keep quiet.
Steffy said it had been bound to happen after Brooke hadn't gotten rid of Deacon, despite their affair. Thomas said it had been the worst scandal in Brooke's family, having a child with her son-in-law. To Thomas, it sounded like the connection between the two had returned.
Sensing Thomas didn't believe Douglas, Steffy reminded her brother that Douglas had told "us" that baby Beth had been alive. Thomas did believe Douglas but wanted to be completely sure about it. Steffy imagined what it could mean for their family. To her, it was true destiny at work. Ridge had been stuck with the Logans, but their family could finally be together. The Forresters would win that time -- not the Logans, but the Forresters.
At Il Giardino, Deacon griped about Ridge thinking he knew Brooke so well and not believing she would ever want anything to do with a guy like Deacon. Ridge replied that Brooke tolerated Deacon because of Hope, and Deacon would be delusional to think otherwise. "If only you knew. If only," Deacon responded and flashed back to the kiss between Brooke and him.
Ridge asked what Deacon knew that Ridge didn't. In Deacon's silence, Ridge guessed it was another con from the man lying his way through life. Deacon replied that Ridge didn't know Deacon or what he'd been through. Ridge knew that Deacon was the same man he'd always been, but Ridge vowed to protect Hope and Brooke from Deacon.
Deacon said he and Ridge had that in common; both men were protecting Hope and Brooke. Ridge asked what Deacon thought he was protecting Brooke from. Deacon replied that Ridge was mistaking Deacon's restraint for deference. For the first time, Deacon realized that Ridge was a bully. "Bully? What are we? Twelve?" Ridge asked.
Ridge questioned once again what Deacon thought he was protecting Ridge's wife from.
In Deacon's silence, Ridge suggested Deacon protect Brooke by leaving town. He insisted that Deacon's presence was bad for Brooke. Deacon quipped that it showed how much Ridge knew.
In the CEO's office, Katie noted Zende's distractedness as she reviewed questions with him in preparation for a design panel. Paris arrived, and Katie guessed Paris was the reason Zende was distracted. Paris stated that she wanted to talk to Katie but could return later.
Paris wished Zende luck on the design panel scheduled the next day. Zende asked who'd told Paris about it, and she replied that word got around. Paris left, and noting the look on Katie's face, Zende acknowledged that she was right; there was something off between Paris and him.
Later, Zende had updated Katie on his relationship with Paris and his agreement with her to keep things casual. Katie got the feeling that he was regretting that part. Zende admitted being thrown by Paris' desire for freedom because she'd never mentioned it before. Katie wondered why Paris would start mentioning it and surmised that there might be another guy. Just as Katie said it, Paris arrived back on the doorstep of the office.
In the design office, Grace asked Carter how long he'd had his eye on Paris. Carter claimed not to know what Grace meant, but Grace wasn't buying it. Grace insisted that Paris deserved the very best, and that meant Zende, not Carter. Grace was surprised as Carter spoke highly of Zende, as if they were friends. She asked if "this" was how Carter treated his friends.
Again, Carter said he didn't know what Grace was talking about. Grace asked why -- if Carter thought so highly of Zende -- Carter would kiss Paris. "You saw us?" Carter asked. Grace expressed her shock upon stumbling across the two kissing. She asked where his morals were to go behind his friend's back and try to steal his girlfriend.
Carter replied that it wasn't the way Grace was making it out to be. He asked for permission to explain himself. Grace said he didn't have to. She'd talked to Zoe and knew about Carter's affair with Eric Forrester's wife. It had hurt Zoe. Carter regretted it more than he could say.
Grace asked if Carter also regretted violating the sanctity of Quinn Forrester's marriage. Wondering what kind of man he was, she concluded that he was duplicitous and untrustworthy. She declared he wasn't worthy of Paris, and his actions had left her with no other choice. As a mother, she believed he'd crossed the line with Zoe, and Grace wouldn't stand by and let it happen to Paris.
According to Grace, Carter had been engaged to Zoe when he'd fooled around with Quinn. Carter surprised Grace when he corrected her, saying his engagement to Zoe had fallen apart before that because Zoe had thrown herself at Zende. Carter didn't deny that he'd gone against his morals. He hated that he'd hurt Zoe and had complicated his relationship with the Forresters. He'd been trying to rectify that, and from what he understood, Zoe was thriving in Paris.
Grace replied that Zoe was doing well professionally, but Grace believed that, deep down, Zoe was still in love with Carter. Grace wouldn't let Paris get involved with the man whom her sister had been about to marry and still had feelings for. Grace decided that if Carter didn't cut things off with Paris, Grace would tell the Forresters what he was doing to Zende, and she didn't believe that they'd forgive him a second time.
Brooke sat alone in her living room, thinking about everything that had transpired since her New Year's Eve kiss with Deacon. She was startled when the front door opened and Ridge stepped inside. Ridge sensed Brooke's continued despair and pleaded with her to stop beating herself up for her New Year's Eve slip. Ridge told Brooke that his love for her was too great to allow anything to break them up.
Ridge told Brooke that he had gone to see Deacon and ordered him to stay away. Brooke worried that Ridge had spoken to Deacon about her relapse. Ridge told Brooke that Deacon was the last person he'd talk to about that. Ridge told Brooke that Deacon had made some "pathetic" claim about knowing Brooke better than Ridge did. Ridge confidently stated that Deacon knew nothing about what had happened to Brooke on New Year's Eve.
At Forrester Creations, Paris walked into the executive office, and Katie and Zende immediately stopped talking. Zende explained that he had been telling Katie about his love for Paris. After Katie left to give the pair some privacy, Zende repeated his understanding that Paris was not yet ready to commit to a serious relationship.
Paris asked Zende about his date with Sequoyah. Zende said that he and the Forrester model had gone to a downtown club to listen to some music. While he admitted that he had had fun on the date, Zende insisted that his feelings for Paris had not changed.
In the design office, Grace demanded that Carter end things with Paris. "Zende and Paris love each other. That's who my daughter deserves. That's her future," Grace said sternly. Carter fired back that Paris was a "grown, single woman." Grace blasted Carter for going after his friends' women. She ordered Carter to break things off with Paris. Grace said that if he refused, she would go to the Forresters and tell them what he was up to.
Carter told Grace that Paris did not need her protection. Grace disagreed and asked Carter how many people he had hurt with his lies. She reminded Carter that he had already broken the heart of another of her daughters. Carter fired back that Grace had no idea what Zoe had done to him. Grace admitted that she did not know Carter that well, but she said that she knew enough to know that Carter was not good enough for Paris.
"You are an older man who was engaged to her sister and had an affair with his boss's wife! You're a mess" Grace growled. She repeated her order that Carter stop seeing Paris then she barged out of the office.
Later, Grace tracked down Zende in the executive office. Grace told Zende that she had done some digging into his past and learned that he was someone who had "[come] from the worst of circumstances" to find incredible success. Grace went on to say that she knew about Zende and Paris' agreement to be "non-exclusive," but she said that she knew that Zende truly cared about Paris. Zende called Paris an "amazing woman" and insisted that he only wanted her to be happy. Grace said that she felt much the same.
Paris received a text message from Carter and headed to the design office to talk to him. Paris confessed that she had been unable to stop thinking about Carter. Carter zoned out for a few moments before mumbling that he could not stop thinking about Paris. Paris knew that something was on Carter's mind. She pressed for details, but Carter said that he did not want to talk about it at work. He asked her to drop by his place later because he had something special planned.
"I don't want to sound presumptuous, but it might be a night we never forget," Carter boasted. An excited Paris told Carter to get back to work and promised to see him later.
At the cliff house, Steffy was outraged by the news that Brooke and Deacon had kissed. She and Thomas both agreed that Brooke had "played [Ridge] for a fool." Steffy declared that the kiss could be the end of Ridge and Brooke's marriage, but Thomas reminded Steffy that Ridge had "blinders on" when it came to Brooke.
Thomas worried that Douglas could have been mistaken about what he had seen. Steffy said that it would be a mistake to dismiss Douglas' claims and suggested that she and Thomas question Douglas together.
When Douglas sat down on Steffy's sofa, he immediately knew that his dad and aunt wanted to talk about the kiss he'd witnessed. Steffy assured Douglas that it was okay for him to tell her what he had seen because they were family, and families didn't keep secrets. Douglas shared that he'd seen Brooke kissing Santa -- but that Santa had actually been his "mommy's daddy," Deacon.
Steffy asked if was true that Brooke had instructed Douglas not to tell anyone about what he'd seen. Douglas nodded his head. The young boy said that it felt wrong to not tell Thomas what he had had observed. Steffy called Douglas "brave." She asked one more time if Douglas was absolutely sure that he'd seen Brooke and Deacon kissing. "I'm sure," Douglas said confidently.
After Douglas left the room to watch a movie, Steffy told Thomas that she believed every word of what Douglas had said. Thomas shared his concern that it could be Douglas' word versus Brooke's. Steffy declared that they needed proof, something that Brooke would be unable to deny. Steffy's face suddenly lit up as she thought of a way to expose Brooke. She gasped, "This could change everything. Our family could finally be reunited, Thomas."
At the cliff house in the evening, Thomas didn't like the idea that it would be Douglas' word against Brooke's about the kiss with Deacon. Steffy realized that she might have a way to get proof independent of Douglas. It would be something that Ridge couldn't excuse or explain away. Steffy decided that they needed access to Ridge and Brooke's security system.
Steffy knew someone who could do it, and he was on their payroll. She called Charlie at Forrester and invited him to arrive at her house urgently for a private matter. After the call, Thomas wasn't sure Charlie was the one for the job, but Steffy said Charlie had helped her access something from a system before.
When Charlie arrived, Steffy advised him of a security job she had for him. She needed Charlie to access the security footage at Brooke and Ridge's house. Thomas added that no one could know about it. Charlie asked if there had been a crime. Steffy said there had been, just not like he was thinking. Charlie said he'd upgraded the entire security system when Sheila had returned to town. He'd picked it out himself. Steffy assumed that meant that Charlie could do it.
"Got a computer?" Charlie asked. He wondered what he was looking for, and Steffy revealed that Brooke had been with another man on New Year's Eve. Steffy said it was Brooke's word against theirs, and they needed proof. Charlie couldn't believe Brooke would throw her life into the woodchipper like that. He asked who the guy was, and Steffy said it had been Hope's father.
Thomas stated that he needed to protect Douglas, who'd witnessed it, so they needed something else to show everyone. Charlie replied that Brooke had always been good to him, but he answered to Steffy and Ridge. Charlie didn't want to believe it, but there was one way to know for sure. Steffy said it was finally a chance to get rid of Brooke and for Steffy's parents to give their relationship the chance it deserved.
At Brooke's house, Brooke was uncomfortable about Ridge confronting Deacon. As Hope entered from the patio, Ridge replied that there was no need to worry about Deacon, who didn't know about New Year's Eve. In Ridge's mind, the secret was safe.
Hope joined the conversation. Brooke said she wished she could change what had happened that night. She hated keeping secrets. Ridge replied that there were some things that not everyone needed to know. He noted to Hope that Deacon was family but asked that Deacon be kept out of what had happened on New Year's Eve. Ridge kissed Brooke and left the house.
Brooke felt miserable about keeping the secret, but it was Deacon. She was adamant that if the truth got out, it would end her marriage. Hope wouldn't encourage Brooke to keep a secret, especially when it was hurting Brooke; however, Hope did understand Brooke's fear.
Brooke felt trapped for being unable to tell Ridge, and keeping it inside was making her sick. Brooke said she hadn't wanted to drag her daughter into it, and she was mortified that Douglas had seen it. Hope believed Douglas didn't know it had been Deacon, and since Douglas hadn't mentioned it in a while, Hope suggested that Brooke put it out of her mind. Hope couldn't imagine how anyone could uncover the secret.
At Taylor's office, Taylor was surprised when Ridge arrived. He complimented her haircut, and she said her hair had been getting a little "wiggy." He asked how she was, and she said she was even better because he was there. Ridge said they'd missed her at the dinner, but the kids were already planning another one. Taylor asked if Brooke was okay with the family dinners.
In Ridge's silence, Taylor remarked that Brooke hadn't been herself, and Taylor asked Ridge to talk to Taylor. Taylor revealed that Hope had confronted Taylor and Steffy and had said Brooke and Ridge had been having a challenging time. Thomas had told Taylor that Brooke had missed a few meetings, and Taylor noted that Ridge got tense every time she brought up Brooke.
Ridge said he wasn't tense. He just didn't want to get into it. "Everything is fine. Thank you," he said. Taylor didn't think so. She'd offered her support to Brooke and Hope, who'd turned her down, but she still wanted to know if there was anything she could do to help Brooke.
In the CEO's office, Grace waited until Zende had finished a call. The wait had been okay with her because Zende was a very successful man, and she felt Paris knew how lucky she was to have him. Zende wasn't sure how Paris felt about him, and that was why he'd kept things casual. He'd wanted to take the pressure off of her.
Grace said that Paris might be confused, but Grace wasn't. Grace asserted that Zende was the man for her daughter. He replied that he didn't want to lose Paris. His feelings hadn't changed for her, but he wasn't sure that Paris still felt the same way about him. Grace asked him not to give up. She was certain he could have the future he imagined with Paris.
Grace thought that, even though her daughter was a bright young woman, Paris didn't always know what was good for her. Grace did, and she wouldn't let anything interfere with the happiness she knew that Paris and Zende could have together.
At Carter's place, Paris arrived at a candlelit loft. Carter asked if it was too much, but she thought it was perfect. He figured that it would be a night to remember, so he'd gone all out. He'd gotten curry from Paris' favorite place and handed her a bouquet of flowers. He wanted her to know how much he appreciated her and all that they'd shared. As Paris put the flowers in water, Carter flashed back to Grace's threat to expose him to the Forresters.
Carter and Paris flirted over dinner. She couldn't stop thinking about the spark between them and guessed that he couldn't, either. She hadn't expected it. She didn't know where it was going, but she was eager to find out.
After dinner, Carter and Paris sat on the couch. He wanted to talk about why he'd invited her there that night. Carter spoke kind words about Paris and expressed to her the wonderful way she made him feel. She felt the same way about Carter. Paris also felt guilty about Zende, but he was seeing other people and agreeing to be casual; therefore, there was no reason that she and Carter couldn't explore what they could have together.
Carter and Paris began kissing. Carter thought of what Grace had said. Paris asked what the problem was. Carter said that he'd wanted to tell her how he felt about her, "even if..." He stated that he and Paris had to make a decision about things and where they went from there.
At Forrester, Zende appreciated Grace's support. He happened to agree with her about himself and Paris, but in the meantime, he was fine with keeping things loose. Grace replied that he shouldn't be. In her mind, keeping it loose was a bad idea.
Later, Grace scowled when Sequoyah arrived. The model had a fitting but asked if she and Zende were still on for that evening. He affirmed it. After Sequoyah had gone, Grace said that she might be old-fashioned, but she didn't get what he and Paris were doing. Zende explained that he and Paris had an understanding, and it wasn't a crime if Paris didn't want to settle down at her age. "Besides, I'm the one seeing other people, not Paris," Zende said.
At Carter's place, Carter thought of Grace's ultimatum. Handing him some wine, Paris asked what was going on in that handsome head of his. Carter said they'd kept things under wraps, but it was time for that to change. Paris replied that they didn't even know what "this" was yet or if it had a future. Carter could see a future with her. He could see that it would be complicated, but it would be worth it. Paris said she could see a future with him, too.
Carter didn't want to hide. He'd done that with Quinn, and it was no way to start a relationship. Paris got that. She figured Zende would, too, and he'd understand. Carter replied that Zende wouldn't understand. "Zende will never know about us. Nobody will," Carter concluded. Carter said that they had to end their involvement that evening.
Paris was surprised by Carter's decision and asked why he didn't want to see where it could go. Carter believed it could never work, not after what he'd done with Quinn. He felt that if he went after another woman involved with a Forrester man, it could jeopardize her career and standing with the Forresters. Paris believed Zende would explain it to his family. She said no one was cheating, and she didn't see how anyone could be upset.
Carter stated that it was complicated. He reasoned that Zende could give her the best life. Paris didn't care about that. Something was happening between her and Carter, and she'd never felt that way before. She insisted that they owed it to each other to see what they could have. She didn't want to let him go, but he said that was the way it had to be.
In Taylor's office, Taylor said that she was there for Ridge, which meant she was there for his wife, too. Ridge told her that he was there as a friend, not a patient. Ridge laughed as they looked at pictures of Kelly, and Taylor was glad to see him smile. He noted that it had been difficult lately. "Because of whatever it is that's going on with Brooke," Taylor replied.
Later, Ridge showed off pictures of Douglas. Ridge said the visit had been nice and thanked Taylor for making it easy. She claimed that it was always easy with them, and she was glad she could be there when he was going through a rough time and carrying a heavy weight. He joked that he was working out for the summer, and she quipped that it was why his head was so big.
After Ridge and Taylor's laughter subsided, Taylor concluded that whatever Brooke was going through, Brooke was lucky to have Ridge. Ridge demurred, but Taylor said she spoke from experience. She felt that his faith in his wife was beautiful, and Taylor hoped that Brooke deserved it.
At Brooke's house, Hope continued to reassure Brooke that her secret was safe. Brooke said that no one else could ever know. "Especially not Ridge," Hope added. Crying, Brooke confided that it was hard because Taylor was waiting on the sidelines for something bad to happen, and Thomas and Steffy were egging it on. Brooke didn't believe they cared if Brooke's marriage fell apart, as long as their mother had another chance with Ridge.
Later, Brooke was alone, crying and flashing back to that night. Ridge arrived. He sat down and said he missed walking in the door and seeing her happy. He missed her laugh and smile. He asked if they'd ever get there or get beyond that night. He wanted to do something to help and told her that it wasn't her fault.
Brooke wanted to believe that, but she was scared. Ridge wasn't scared at all, because he knew what she was capable of and what they could do together. He said they could face everything, and nothing could come between them. He asked her to believe that.
At the cliff house, Thomas wasn't sure Charlie could hack into Brooke's security system. Charlie said he was head of security at Forrester, and that made him "an authorized user." Steffy noted that it was only at Forrester, but Charlie claimed that since he'd set up the system and hung all the cameras, they could consider him an authorized user. Steffy said it didn't matter if he was authorized or not; she and Thomas just needed Charlie to access the footage.
Charlie accessed Brooke's IP address and used a password, "lemonbars." He asked for the time frame he was looking for, and Thomas indicated that it was New Year's Eve. Charlie found footage of the delivery guy on Brooke's doorstep, but Steffy said they were looking for footage from later in the night. As Charlie looked for a pen, he pricked his finger on the cactus.
Eventually, Charlie found the point on the New Year's Eve footage where Hope and her family had left Brooke's house. Charlie then located the footage of Deacon returning. Steffy couldn't believe that Ridge had been stranded, and Brooke's answer had been to invite Deacon over.
Next, Charlie found Douglas on film as he'd approached the patio. Steffy figured that was when the kiss had happened. Charlie reached the next day in the footage and said he hadn't seen Deacon leave. Charlie kept looking and discovered that Deacon had left out the back in the same clothes at the time that Ridge had arrived at the house in the morning.
Steffy was disgusted that Deacon had spent the night, and she instructed Charlie to send her the footage. Charlie figured that it wouldn't end well for Brooke. Steffy affirmed it, but she said it would end well for her father.
Later, Steffy and Thomas were alone when Taylor arrived after receiving Steffy's text message. Taylor asked them what was going on. Steffy said they'd been talking about their family and how nice it was to be together. Taylor replied that she'd been talking about that with Ridge. Blushing, she said Ridge had checked on her at the office, and it had been very sweet.
Steffy said Ridge wasn't just being sweet, and he really cared about her. Steffy also knew that Taylor really loved Ridge. Taylor affirmed it but didn't want her kids to be caught up in wishful thinking. She said they needed to accept Ridge's life with the Logans and move on.
Steffy wondered how it would be if they didn't have to. She said that they had finally figured out what was going on with Brooke. Steffy claimed that she'd never wish for the end of Ridge's marriage or to see him in pain. Taylor asked what was going on, and Steffy blurted out that Brooke had cheated on Ridge with Deacon.
