In the CEO's office at Forrester with Thomas, all Hope could concentrate on was how happy she was about Douglas deciding to move home. Hope asked if Thomas was okay with it. Thomas admitted that it pained him that Douglas had chosen the cabin, but Thomas felt they were in a better place and position to work things out. He was hopeful about the future.
Steffy arrived and was thrilled to hear that Hope had decided to let Thomas return to the line. Steffy approved of it as long as Hope wanted it. Hope replied that she'd needed some convincing and to be able to trust that Thomas had changed. He asserted that they had his word that he had changed. Hope said Brooke had even sounded cautiously optimistic.
Thomas added that Brooke wouldn't forgive him for the way he'd affected her marriage, but she was willing to support her daughter's choice. Steffy joked that she should move him to sales, but he said Taylor had helped a lot with Brooke. Steffy replied that the friendship had been a game-changer. Thomas claimed that it had been for him, because he'd been willing to accept whatever Brooke had said, even if he couldn't make it up to everyone.
Hope revealed that Douglas had been there and had approved. Steffy noted that he always said it was amazing when his parents got along. Thomas and Hope said they'd vowed to be a team as parents and co-workers. Hope added that Douglas had also said he was ready to go back home with Hope. Steffy exclaimed that it was great and said they'd reach out to the judge.
Hope disclosed that they had already left word for the judge. Steffy asked how Liam felt about Hope working with Thomas. Hope stammered that Liam didn't know yet. Hope explained that she'd apprised Liam of the situation, and he'd wanted her to decline to work with Thomas. "But you got him to come around?" Steffy asked.
Hope said Liam was worried about their family and wanted to protect them. "From me?" Thomas asked. Hope stated that Liam just wanted to keep them from being hurt, and she'd assured him that she'd decline the option to work with Thomas. Steffy and Thomas were surprised to hear that Hope had gone there to tell them no. Hope affirmed it, saying Liam had had a point after all the chances Thomas had been given. Thomas asked what had changed her mind.
Hope stated that she loved her line, and she didn't want to see it end. Also, she said it was good for Douglas to see them together. She said she'd changed her mind because she believed it would be different that time around. Thomas promised not to let her down, but Steffy doubted that Liam would find it reassuring. Hope said she would find a way to get through to Liam.
Hope turned to leave, but Thomas stopped her to say that if she had to let him go to protect her marriage, it was okay. He said he'd be fine with it.
Later, Hope had gone, and Steffy noted Thomas' smile. Thomas said he was happier than he'd ever been, and even if Hope had to change her mind due to Liam, it was enough for Thomas that Hope and Steffy had been willing to put their faith in Thomas. Steffy warned Thomas not to backslide. She said he was in a positive place and had worked hard on himself.
Thomas said he wouldn't, and he already felt different. Steffy said she hoped it paid off, and their family deserved a win after all they'd been through. Thomas asked how Ridge would feel, but Steffy was willing to cross that bridge when they got to it. To Steffy, it felt like their family was coming together. "I wonder if it's the opposite at Hope and Liam's," Steffy said. Figuring they'd be celebrating Douglas, Thomas said he had no ill will toward Hope and Liam's marriage.
In Brooke's cabin, Liam told Wyatt that Thomas would never work with Hope, even though Forrester had had her convinced that only Thomas could save the line. That didn't make sense to Wyatt because they had plenty of designers. Liam said Thomas claimed he and Hope had a "special connection." Liam and Wyatt agreed that Thomas was still the same creepy guy, and Wyatt said Liam should be relieved to have gotten through to Hope.
Wyatt wondered why Hope hadn't called Liam after talking to Steffy. Liam, however, was willing to forgive Hope for letting it slip her mind due to the stress she was under. Wyatt noted that HFTF was struggling, and Douglas was living with Steffy. It was a one-two punch for Hope.
Liam replied that Hope prided herself on being a good mom and businessperson, but the whole thing had been Thomas' fault for getting himself kicked out of Forrester and pushing the custody issue. Wyatt hoped she could see that. Liam did, too, but said HFTF was Hope's business to do whatever she wanted to do with. Liam didn't want to be the overbearing, commanding husband.
Wyatt stated that Liam had been a protective husband, and to him, it didn't seem as if the couple had even argued. Liam admitted that they had a little, but he felt they understood each other. Wyatt said that working with Thomas was a nonstarter, and he couldn't have a place in Liam and Hope's life.
Wyatt figured he should go because Hope would be back soon. Liam said she might stay at the office and work on saving her line without Thomas. Wyatt replied that even if she couldn't, she'd find something better. Liam called Wyatt a ray of sunshine. Wyatt stated that everything didn't have to be the doom and gloom it had become around Bill.
Wyatt asked if Bill knew about the situation, and Liam scoffed at the idea of telling Bill that Thomas had become a problem again. Liam was hoping Bill would snap out of it, and Wyatt admitted that he missed Bill calling him a knucklehead all day. Wyatt and Liam agreed they felt clueless about the Sheila situation, but Wyatt promised to handle Bill, since Liam had a lot on his plate. Liam was happy that he got to at least cross Thomas off the list.
Later, Liam was working from home. Hope watched him through the window and thought of their last conversation about Thomas when Liam had begged her not to rehire Thomas. When she entered the house, Liam greeted her and said she'd just missed Wyatt, who couldn't believe Steffy had tried to pressure Hope to rehire Thomas. Hope uttered that it hadn't only been Steffy.
Liam was glad Hope had heard him out before making a bad decision. Liam mentioned her stress about the line and Douglas, and Hope sprang the good news to Liam that Douglas had been at Forrester and had decided to return home. Liam hugged Hope and asked why Douglas had decided it and if Douglas had been present when she'd had to let Thomas down. Liam remarked that seeing his parents argue might not have been best for Douglas. Hope replied that they hadn't argued. Liam said it was cool that Thomas had taken it on the chin for Douglas' sake, and to Liam, that was a good sign of growth.
Hope said she respected Liam and everything he'd had to say. Liam flashed a worried look. She continued, saying she'd been ready to tell everyone what they'd decided, but after she'd heard all the different sides of the argument, she'd changed her mind. Liam asked what she'd changed her mind about. Hope clarified that she'd asked Thomas to return to HFTF as lead designer, and as a result, she and Thomas would be working together again.
In Brooke's cabin, Liam figured that Thomas had gotten to Hope, which had been Liam's fear all along. Hope insisted that it had been her decision, and Thomas had even said he'd be okay if she had to decline it. To her, the best part was that Douglas had seen his parents together and had decided to return home. Liam wondered if that was the reason for Douglas' decision.
Liam asked what had happened to the decision he and Hope had made in that very room when they'd agreed that Thomas' return was a bad idea. Hope said she'd lose her line if Thomas didn't return, and she didn't want to lose her avenue to send her message to the world. Liam said that Thomas wanted her to believe he was the only option, but Liam didn't know what Thomas had done to get her to change her mind and let him in again.
Liam said it felt like déjà vu to him. He said he'd tell Hope that Thomas' track record scared Liam, Liam would ask her not to let Thomas back in, she'd agree, but then she'd change her mind. Liam asked if she'd changed her mind again. She affirmed it. Liam said he understood how she felt about her line, but as her husband, his priority was her well-being. Liam asked how many chances Thomas would get before he proved he couldn't control himself around her.
Hope claimed Thomas hadn't been inappropriate around her. Liam asserted that Thomas had tried to kiss her at the preview. Hope yelled that she'd told Thomas it wouldn't happen, and he'd respected it. "And besides, this is about me not losing Hope for the Future," she added. Recalling that Hope had agreed that rehiring Thomas was too dangerous, Liam asked what had changed.
Hope replied that she was sorry to disappoint Liam. She claimed she'd considered what he'd said. Liam noted that she still hadn't said what had changed. He assumed it was the same answer as always, that Thomas had gotten into her head. Hope replied that it was her decision, and Liam wouldn't like what she had to say. She stated that she believed Thomas had changed.
Liam asked how many times she had to hear that Thomas was sorry and that he'd changed. Liam asked if she remembered Thomas keeping the news about Beth from her or that Thomas had almost tried to throw Liam off a building while kidnapping her. Liam asked about the mannequin Thomas had stashed in his apartment so he could live out his fantasies of Hope.
Hope claimed not to be justifying or defending it, but Liam said she was doing that when she said she thought Thomas had changed. Hope said there was good in everyone, even Thomas, who'd messed up. Liam proclaimed himself the king of messing up, but he said Thomas wasn't messing up; Thomas was fixated on Hope, and whenever she turned him down, he got dangerous. Liam said it was why he was asking her how she could do it again. He stated that he was asking for her well-being and for the safety of their family.
Hope replied that she respectfully disagreed with Liam that time around. She said Thomas had lost his job, his family, and Douglas, and in the time alone, Thomas had sought professional help and apologized to her mother. She said Thomas understood that the fake CPS call hadn't been okay, and Thomas regretted it. "As he always does," Liam added.
Hope insisted that it was real, and the most important thing was Douglas getting to see his parents working together and getting along. Hope apologized for going back on her word but refused to sacrifice her career "over this." She asked Liam to trust her because she'd told Thomas that if she saw a glint of the old him, he was gone.
Liam asked Hope to listen to him, but she yelled that she needed him to listen to her. She said she understood his concerns, but she didn't want it to be an issue. Their marriage and family meant "so much" to her, but so did her career. She said it was good for Douglas, and she could look out for herself; she'd be vigilant, and it would end if Thomas tried anything. Hope asked Liam if he could accept her decision.
Quietly, Liam said she'd made it clear that Thomas would be back, "so...yeah..." Liam said he loved Hope. He wanted her to have everything she needed, and he was scared. However, Liam said he wouldn't let Thomas be the thing to come between them. She thanked him for understanding. They hugged, and her expression became grim.
At Forrester, Steffy smiled, watching Thomas sketch. It made her realize how much she'd missed him. Thomas said he had missed her, too. He reported that he was happy and hoped Hope wouldn't regret her decision. Steffy was sure Liam would freak out once he learned what Hope had done. Thomas thought the stakes were high, and he asked how Liam could reject Thomas saving Hope's line.
Taylor bounced into the office, tickled to see her children back together. Taylor asked why Thomas didn't look happy, and he said he was worried that his reinstatement might cause problems for Hope and Liam. Taylor asked what would happen if Liam convinced Hope to change her mind. Thomas replied that he'd go home and figure out what was next, but he refused to be an issue in Hope's marriage and would bow out if that was the case.
Douglas arrived after lunch with Paris. Steffy said she'd heard that he wanted to return home. Douglas thanked her for taking him in and taking care of him. Steffy said he was welcome at any time. Douglas asked where his mother was. Thomas explained that she'd gone home to tell Liam about the big news of Douglas' move. Douglas asked if she'd also tell Liam that she and Thomas were working together again.
Thomas said Hope would. Douglas assumed Liam would be mad because he didn't like Thomas. Taylor said she was sorry Douglas had to deal with that. Steffy told the boy that Liam and Hope would figure it out. Thomas told Douglas that he was loved, whether or not Hope and Thomas worked together. Thomas promised to never make the mistakes he'd made again, and Douglas and Thomas hugged.
Later, Douglas and Thomas were alone. Douglas was excited to go home, but he'd had lots of cool takeout and delivery food at the cliff house. Douglas thought Finn was the best but said no one was as cool as his dad. Douglas asked if Thomas was excited to work with Hope again. Douglas shared his belief that Hope needed Thomas' help. Claiming that he'd heard things, Douglas said HFTF was in trouble, and it needed his parents working together to fix it.
Douglas wished his parents could be together all the time. Thomas asked if Douglas was forgetting Hope's marriage to Liam and said they always needed to respect it. Douglas said he did; however, he still hoped that someday he would live with Hope and Thomas, and they could be a real family. Thomas hugged Douglas.
In the design office later, Taylor expressed her pride in Thomas for his efforts to see a therapist. Steffy said Thomas was working to deserve his blessings, including Douglas. Steffy admitted she was worried about Douglas, who spent too much time solving adult problems. She said he'd moved out because there was too much tension between Thomas and Hope. Taylor and Steffy assumed that Douglas felt that his job was done, since his parents were working together.
Taylor decided that they'd keep an eye on it because solving family drama was too much for any kid. Steffy believed that Douglas could be the big winner -- as long as Thomas' obsession with Hope was in the past. Taylor said she didn't feel the need to be concerned about that anymore.
At Il Giardino, Deacon was shocked to hear from Wyatt and Liam about Hope's decision to work with Thomas. Liam said they already had enough to worry about without that, but Wyatt said he'd handle Bill's newfound relationship with Sheila. Deacon lowered his eyes and looked away.
Liam refused to let Thomas get between Liam and Hope. Wyatt said Hope believing in Thomas was akin to Bill giving Sheila a chance. Liam said it was because Bill never saw the good in anyone, which meant something was off. As Liam and Wyatt pondered how their father could fall for a nine-toed monster, Deacon decided to excuse himself from the discussion. By the bar, Deacon could still hear the incredulous Spencers, and he flashed back to kissing Sheila.
At the cliff house, Steffy and Finn canoodled until each of them could no longer put off going to work. Finn guessed it was weird to have Hope and Liam working together. Steffy wondered how Liam had taken the news. Steffy revealed that Paris had asked if Hope was really okay with working with Thomas. Steffy recalled that Hope had once said Thomas was hot.
"That's innocent, though, right?" Finn asked. Steffy said that as co-CEO, she had to check it out. After all, she'd encouraged the collaboration, and she couldn't ignore that, on some level, Hope was attracted to Thomas. Finn asked if she thought it would be trouble for Hope and Liam or that Hope's attraction to Thomas would become something deeper.
Steffy said Hope loved Liam and was committed to him, but Steffy wondered how working with Thomas would affect her. Finn said Thomas had been the one with the obsession. Steffy noted that even though Hope knew about it, she had still said she was attracted to him. Steffy guessed other feelings lurked beneath the surface, and it might be why Hope had forgiven Thomas. Though Steffy believed rehiring Thomas had been the right thing, she wondered how it would affect Hope and Liam.
Later, Finn and Steffy canoodled as she buttoned his shirt. He said it was wild that Sheila and Bill could be out there doing anything, but Finn felt at peace with Steffy. Steffy still couldn't believe that Bill had unleashed their worst nightmare upon them. Steffy said it didn't make sense that Bill would blackmail them to assure Sheila's freedom.
At Bill's house, Sheila and Bill kissed. Bill said he might seem a bit withdrawn, but he really needed "this." He asserted that he was there for whatever she needed, even if it was just an ear. He stated that she could talk to him, and he'd never judge her.
Sheila said the town thought she was a maniac with no remorse for what she'd done. She wished she could bury her past. Bill stated that the only way to deal with it was by being open. He said Katie and Brooke hadn't understood the darkness living within him; however, Sheila did, and he understood Sheila's, as well. Bill stated that he'd done bad things, too. She uttered that they'd been nothing like what she'd done, but he told her nothing would change his love for her.
Urging Sheila to open up to him, Bill said he'd told her some of the worst that he'd done. "Dumping Ridge from that helicopter. I wanted to kill him. Part of me still does. I've never said that to anyone," Bill uttered. He added that he'd blown up Spectra and had almost killed his own son. He asked if it sounded familiar. Confessing made Bill feel free, and he said he wanted that for Sheila. He said opening up was hard, but it could be healing for her.
Sheila stated that she wanted to forget it, but Bill insisted that they couldn't hide what was in the deep recesses of their minds. She replied that she'd done things that Bill couldn't even begin to imagine. Bill mentioned that when she'd first moved in, they'd had an incredible night of passion, but he'd become quiet and withdrawn. She admitted that it had been interesting.
Bill disclosed that it had been because he'd been getting used to being accepted. It felt freeing to him, and he said she could trust him, too. Sheila couldn't believe he'd transformed his life for her and that she had her freedom because of him. Bill reasoned that she wasn't emotionally free and wouldn't be as long as she carried things around from her past. He said he could handle her deepest, darkest secret. He stated that he was no saint and had killed people, too.
Sheila asked what Bill had meant by "too." Bill told her that if she told her secrets, he'd tell his. Sheila flashed back to her therapist tumbling over a balcony to his death after she'd jerked her arm away from him. She thought of flooding Lance's room with bees. Bill said she seemed haunted by the things she'd done, and he urged her to unburden herself.
The lights flickered, and Sheila wondered what was going on. Bill shrugged, saying it was a huge estate. She suggested they have a romantic dinner up the coast that evening. Bill agreed, but he checked his phone and said he had a meeting with an international client that evening.
Later, after Sheila made sure Bill had gone, she called Deacon. He reminded her that they weren't supposed to be talking. Sheila wondered if she was being paranoid or if Bill might know about them. Deacon asked why she'd say that. She said she didn't know how to explain it, but she was certain something weird was going on with Bill.
Elsewhere, in a highly secure monitoring station at FBI headquarters, Ridge heard someone enter the room. He turned and saw Bill's gleaming sword charm. "How you holding up, partner?" Ridge asked. Irate, Bill asked, "How do you think I'm holding up? I am ready -- I am so ready to put Sheila Carter behind bars for life!" Ridge and Bill turned to view the cameras recording Sheila on the phone in Bill's living room.
Due to CBS Sports coverage of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, The Bold and the Beautiful did not air. This was a planned preemption and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the programming change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, March 20, and picked up where the Wednesday, March 15, episode concluded.
Due to CBS Sports coverage of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, The Bold and the Beautiful did not air. This was a planned preemption and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the programming change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, March 20, and picked up where the Wednesday, March 15, episode concluded.
