>> Carter: I think you're amazing.
You're all I can think about, Hope.
Right here.
>> Hope: Wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait.
Oh, um... We--Carter.
W-we shouldn't. We shouldn't. We shouldn't.
♪♪♪
>> Deacon: [softly] Let me see this for a second.
Okay, perfect. Thanks, Hunter.
Hey, I'm sorry about that. I had to take care of the
delivery. I saw you looking at these, and,
uh, and I'm gonna need you to do some quality control testing
for me. I also saw you looking at your
phone there. Anything from our daughter?
>> Brooke: Uh, no, actually. She's probably still in the
office with Carter. >> Deacon: Yeah? You been
singing his praises since he got here, you know, him standing up
for her line and everything. >> Brooke: Right, well, how
could I not? Hope's been under siege for a
long time now at the company. And I've tried to be there to
support her, but with Steffy's agenda...
I mean, I know Steffy and Ridge want what's best for the
company, of course. And so does Carter.
But I've never seen him weigh in on something like this.
>> Deacon: You mean on Hope for the Future.
>> Brooke: Yeah, it was incredible.
I mean, he was so passionate. He was just singing her praises
and not just her line but to her as a woman.
>> Deacon: It's almost like he's seeing her in a whole new light.
♪♪♪ >> Steffy: It's not what I was
hoping to hear, but I-I see why you're so reluctant.
Yes, the line has been struggling for some time,
but the next collection, it's gonna be--
Okay, uh, yeah, yeah, if that's how you feel.
Okay, well, if you change your mind...
Thank you, Celine. All right, bye-bye.
>> Ridge: Didn't sound like great news.
>> Steffy: Par for the course these days with Hope's line.
[both breathing hard]
>> Hope: Carter. Carter, Carter, Carter.
We shouldn't. We shouldn't. >> Carter: But we could.
♪♪♪
>> Ridge: So do you think we can change Celine's mind?
>> Steffy: I tried. But it's hard to discount her feelings
when they're ours too. >> Ridge: So we're just
prolonging the inevitable. >> Steffy: If there were even a
modest uptick in sales, I would actually be okay holding on a
little bit longer. And Carter, yes, he made some
solid points, but the truth is, Hope for the Future isn't doing
well. Now if Hope for the Future was anyone else's baby but
Hope's, we would have shut that line down a long time ago.
>> Ridge: One second. You're the one that gave that line new
hope, so what are you, uh, what are you saying?
>> Steffy: What I'm saying is that I don't think our loyal
buyers are committed to the next collection.
First Celine, and I don't think she's gonna be our last.
All Carter's support and positivity about Hope's line--
it's not gonna change anything, Dad.
I know that, and so do you.
>> Brooke: Carter and Hope have
respected each other for years. They've always admired each
other. >> Deacon: Well, who wouldn't?
Our daughter's extraordinary. >> Brooke: [laughs] Well, she
is, but Carter is also COO of Forester Creations, and his
first priority is the company. But today, it seemed like Hope
was his first priority. Couldn't say enough good things
about her. >> Deacon: I bet that got under
Steffy's skin. >> Brooke: Mm-mm.
>> Deacon: I mean, she spent her entire adult life taking target
practice at our kid. >> Brooke: Yeah. She never
gives up. Horrible. Now this latest
skirmish over Hope for the Future just adds to that.
>> Deacon: It's taken a toll on Hope.
>> Brooke: Well, yeah, it's been hard, very difficult.
I've tried to be there to support her, but...
>> Deacon: [laughs] I'll tell you, I just--I would love to
hightail it over there and give Steffy a piece of my mind.
>> Brooke: No, Deacon. Don't you dare.
You're just gonna make it worse for Hope.
>> Deacon: All right, I guess. But I am glad now that you got
Carter backing you up. I am grateful to him for that.
And for looking out for hope. ♪♪♪
>> Carter: I want you so much. ♪♪♪
>> Ridge: Well, that all sounds pretty fatalistic.
>> Steffy: I don't mean it to be. I'm just trying to be
realistic. I'm looking at it from a business standpoint.
>> Ridge: Business standpoint. Okay. Not a personal one?
>> Steffy: You know how I feel about Hope. And of course I'm
have my guard up around her, especially after what she did
with my husband. >> Ridge: She did say she's
never gonna do that again. >> Steffy: She better not.
So, what, I'm supposed to just take her at her word?
>> Ridge: What you're supposed to remember is that this is not
about Hope. It's about Hope for the Future.
>> Steffy: Yes, we are talking about Hope for the Future, and
now we have buyers bailing on us.
>> Ridge: One buyer bailing, and she'll be back when the holidays
come. >> Steffy: I don't know about
that--we have no idea what's gonna happen.
Look, I know it seems like I'm constantly on Hope's case, but I
truly feel bad about cutting her line--I do.
>> Ridge: Don't feel bad about that--it's business. If a line
doesn't perform, you gotta cut it.
>> Steffy: Exactly. But if we were to do that, the Logans are
gonna take it as an attack. It's gonna be personal to them.
I want Hope for the Future to succeed, I really do.
>> Ridge: No one would ever doubt that.
>> Steffy: Brooke will. The moment you agree with me
and we cut Hope's line, how do you think she's gonna react?
♪♪♪ >> Brooke: I'm glad we talk
like this. There was a time...
>> Deacon: There was a time when you didn't wanna be anywhere
near me...with good reason. >> Brooke: Well, you've changed
a lot through the years. >> Deacon: For the better,
I hope. >> Brooke: There is Sheila.
Still don't understand why you married her.
>> Deacon: All right, easy, all right? When Tom asked if I take
this woman to be my wedded wife, I answered yes without
hesitation. >> Brooke: That's not what I
meant. >> Deacon: I know.
But since we can't agree on my taste in wives, why don't we
stick with what we can do to help Hope.
So what else can we do? >> Brooke: Carter went a long
way toward doing that for us. >> Deacon: Yeah. I mean, that
guy definitely deserves props. I mean, it's not like Hope needs
a man to rescue her, but it's nice having a guy like Carter
in her corner at work, right? Now if we could just find
someone like that in her personal life.
>> Brooke: I agree. Yes! >> Deacon: So you don't know
anyone that she might be seeing? >> Brooke: No!
No, I don't. But part of me thinks there's a
possibility she might reconcile with Liam.
♪♪♪ >> Carter: You feel that?
My heart racing? I haven't felt so alive in a
long time, Hope. >> Hope: Mmm.
Well, a long time is... sounds like quite some time.
>> Carter: [chuckles] I been thinking about you for
quite some time. The two of us...
alone. I feel like you've had the same
thoughts. [Carter laughs]
I can give you everything you need, Hope.
Everything you desire. ♪♪♪
>> Ridge: If we have to cut Hope for the Future, Brooke will
understand. >> Steffy: She's not gonna like
it. >> Ridge: No, she's not gonna
like it, but she's been in this business a long time. It's about
numbers, right? If the numbers are off, then...
gotta make a change. >> Steffy: Yeah, but if it were
any line but her daughter's, I would completely agree, but this
is the Logans we're talking about--they always have each
other's back. >> Ridge: Forresters kinda do
the same thing. >> Steffy: Yeah, we do, but we
own this company. The Logans don't.
>> Ridge: All right. But Hope is very invested in this line.
>> Steffy: Yeah. Maybe a little too invested.
>> Ridge: What does that mean? >> Steffy: Well, I think a big
part of Hope's identity is tied up in Hope for the Future.
And if her line goes, a part of Hope does too.
And that can be hard on her. >> Ridge: Yeah, I agree with
that. >> Steffy: I know it seems like
we're at each other's throats, but honestly, I'm not trying to
ruin her life. >> Ridge: No one thinks that.
And you're the one that gave her a second chance.
>> Steffy: Well, can you remind Hope and Brooke of that, because
the way things are looking right now...I know Carter sees it
differently, but honestly, I don't see the line surviving.
I really hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.
>> Deacon: So you think Liam might still be a contender.
>> Brooke: You don't? >> Deacon: I don't know.
I mean, I get the draw for Hope to put back Beth's little
family--that would be huge. I'm kinda torn.
I've actually grown kind of fond of my tofu-eating ex-son-in-law,
but I don't like the way that he's gone back and forth between
Steffy and Hope. Kinda reminds me of Ridge and
you and Taylor. >> Brooke: I suppose there's
some truth to that. >> Deacon: You suppose? Come on,
hey, we both know that Ridge has played fast and loose with your
heart and Taylor's, ping-ponging back and forth like it's an
Olympic sport. >> Brooke: Okay. We were talking
about Hope and Liam, not about Ridge, Taylor, and me.
>> Deacon: Okay, but you can't deny the fact that there's a
similarity. I mean, every time that Liam is
with Steffy, he wants to be with Hope, and when he's with Hope,
he feels a pull to go back with Steffy.
>> Brooke: I think it's a little more complicated than that.
>> Deacon: Are you, uh, are you defending him now?
>> Brooke: No. But you know Hope hurt him too.
>> Deacon: Yeah. >> Brooke: She kissed Thomas in
Rome. She had an attraction for this
guy that didn't tell her that her baby was alive.
I mean, how is Liam supposed to handle that?
>> Deacon: I don't know, but I-I guess he is, if you think
there's still a chance for them. >> Brooke: I don't know if there
is. I just want the next man
in Hope's life to be everything that she ever wanted in a
partner and a soul mate. >> Deacon: Yeah. Well, look, if
another go-around with Liam isn't in the cards, there has
gotta be somebody out there who can give Hope everything
she deserves...and more.
>> Hope: [sighs]
I mean, we-we could... so easily.
>> Carter: Nothing's stopping us, Hope.
>> Hope: Mmm. It's not that I don't find you
attractive, because, believe me, I do. It's just--
>> Carter: It's just what?
>> Hope: I'm just not ready. ♪♪♪
>> Brooke: I couldn't agree more.
Hope deserves a wonderful man in her life.
A man that should appreciate her as much as she should be
appreciated. >> Deacon: You know, I was just
thinking. Maybe we should try doing a
little matchmaking. >> Brooke: Oh!
>> Deacon: Yeah, don't you think that that would probably
be a horrendous idea. Forget it.
>> Brooke: I don't know... >> Deacon: I just want her to be
happy, you know? >> Brooke: Well, it's not like
she's not happy. It's just...
>> Deacon: Just that things would be a lot better if the
big, bad CEOs at Forrester would stop all their huffing and
puffing and just let her--just let the damn line breathe,
right? >> Brooke: Yes. But thanks to
Carter, Hope for the Future has a reprieve.
>> Deacon: Remind me to do something nice for that guy.
Maybe, I don't know, give him the nicest table in the joint,
pick up his dinner for him and whoever his lady is, whoever
that might be. >> Brooke: Well, a few months
ago, it might have been my sister, but I'm not so sure
anymore. >> Deacon: Hmm.
>> Brooke: Anyway, I know that you and I both are rooting for
Hope. She's beautiful, sweet, and
smart and successful. Any man would be lucky
to have her. ♪♪♪
>> Ridge: You know what? No. I'm not--no, I am. Yeah, I am
gonna say something, 'cause we're co-CEOs. We're really
gonna have to keep an eye on Hope for the Future and the
numbers it brings in. >> Steffy: Yeah, especially now
that our buyers are bailing on us.
>> Ridge: [sighs] One buyer's bailing, and then maybe we can
look--if we can keep an open mind, maybe we can...
find a way to get 'em interested with the new collection that's
coming out. >> Steffy: W-what if nothing
happens with the collection? What if it falls flat?
What are we gonna do? We're just gonna hang on a
little more, like Carter said? We can't do that.
Dad, we're gonna have to make a change.
>> Ridge: I know. Car-- What was that whole thing with
Carter anyway? What was he doing?
>> Steffy: I don't know. >> Ridge: Why was he lobbying
for Hope and Hope for the Future? That seemed weird to me.
>> Steffy: It was really, really strange.
It's like he sees something in Hope that we don't.
♪♪♪ >> Hope: I'm sure you can tell
that I want you too. >> Carter: Mm-hmm. The
attraction's definitely there. >> Hope: Mm-hmm. And you are...
incredibly sexy and smart and kind
and caring, and what you have done for my line, Carter, it
means the world. But...
there's-there's just also a lot that's up in the air in my life
right now, and it has been for some time.
My marriage to Liam ended, followed by the disaster with
Thomas and losing him and Douglas.
And, uh, then I lost control and started, uh, idealizing
Steffy's husband. I even kissed him.
>> Carter: I'm none of those men, Hope.
>> Hope: I know. But I also can't forget the fact
that you were involved with my Aunt Katie.
>> Carter: [laughs] Th-that's over.
We're just friends, Hope, and what she and I had...
it's nothing like what I feel for you.
>> Hope: Well, I just--I need to be cautious because I really
don't think I could handle having my heart broken again.
>> Carter: I would never do that.
>> Hope: That's a bold statement to make.
All right, so, okay. To summarize...
>> Carter: Mm-hmm. >> Hope: I don't not wanna see
you, because I absolutely do. I do. I just...
I need to take things a little slowly.
And this also has to remain a secret--at least for now.
I mean, it must remain a secret, Carter, so...
do you think you can agree to all that?
>> Carter: Mmm...
♪♪♪
Captioned by Los Angeles Distribution and Broadcasting, Inc.