On one knee in the showroom, Thomas held up the ring to Hope and promised to be a great father and husband. He asked her to say she'd marry him. He'd designed that dress for what he'd hoped would be one of the most important moments in their lives. He felt that the ring deserved to be on her hand, and he wanted the world to see them walking side by side into the future. All she had to do was say she'd marry him.
Hope took the ring from Thomas' hand. Thomas insisted that they'd wasted enough time, and it was a make-or-break moment. It was time for them to be together with the kids as a family. He asked her to say she'd be his wife. Tearing up, Hope replied that she loved him, but she couldn't accept his proposal. She wasn't ready.
Hope claimed not to want to hurt Thomas. "You're turning me down again," he uttered. She said it had nothing to do with him, and he brought her joy and happiness. She knew that he loved her unconditionally, but she'd just gotten out of a marriage. She was trying to focus on herself, her career, the kids, and her relationship with him. She told him that she loved him, but she wasn't ready for a forever commitment. As she apologized, he ran from the room.
In Eric's office, Steffy worked behind the desk. She was surprised when Liam arrived. Liam said he'd thought about making up an excuse, like he was dropping something off for Kelly, but he was there out of concern for Steffy regarding Finn's reaction to Sheila's death.
Steffy assured Liam that her relationship with Finn was fine, and she wasn't worried about them. Instead, she was worried about Thomas. Liam asked what was wrong with Thomas. "What do you think? Hope!" Steffy replied. She said Hope was wearing Thomas' ring around her neck, and it was ridiculous because Hope didn't love him and would never truly commit to him.
Steffy believed Hope was stringing Thomas along. Liam didn't want Hope with Thomas at all. Shrugging, Liam said, "Eh, maybe if I'd handled things differently..." Steffy asked what he was talking about and asserted that Hope was always the victim, lamenting the end of the marriage when she'd been the one kissing Thomas in Rome. "She's not so innocent," Steffy added.
Liam thanked Steffy for acknowledging it because not many people did. Steffy insisted that she was losing patience with Hope, who was messing with Thomas' feelings the way she'd messed with Liam's, leading Thomas on and making him think she'd marry him.
Steffy proffered her belief that Hope had been out of control ever since she'd "broken up" with Liam and become laser-focused on Thomas. Steffy believed her brother was in for a world of hurt. Liam said Hope could be in for it, too, but whatever happened, Liam felt that he and Steffy could agree that Hope and Thomas were a toxic combination.
Later, Steffy returned to the office and found Thomas there. Upset, he said he'd been ready, but it hadn't happened. He called himself an idiot and said he'd asked Hope to marry him again. Steffy assumed Hope had turned him down again. Knowing it would happen, Steffy said he didn't deserve it, and Hope was bad news. Thomas didn't get what he'd done wrong. He'd given Hope the ring, and she'd been wearing it. "As a necklace, Thomas," Steffy said.
Thomas stated that he'd offered it to Hope, and she hadn't refused it. There had been potential, and she hadn't rejected it. Steffy told him that he was setting himself up, and Hope would never give him what he wanted. He asked Steffy not to say it. What Hope had just done proved it in Steffy's eyes. She said Hope claimed to love him but would never commit. Steffy advised him to move forward and focus on a future without Hope.
At the cliff house, Finn asked Poppy what Luna's desire to talk to her birth father had to do with him or what he could do to help. Poppy asked him to give Luna what she was looking for more than anything. "Talk to her, Finn," Poppy requested.
Finn had no problems talking to Luna, but figuring she preferred her father, he asked if Poppy knew who the man was. Poppy replied that Luna had been conceived in love. Finn figured Poppy had known the day would arrive that Luna would want to know who her father was, and he suggested that she let it happen. Poppy replied that it had always been the two of them, and that had been enough. Finn reasoned that it might have been for Poppy, but Luna might not have wanted to upset Poppy by admitting to needing her father.
Poppy stated that Luna needed a strong male presence in her life, and Finn could easily fill the shoes because Luna looked up to him. She asked him to be that presence in Luna's life. Finn was happy to be there if Luna needed him or didn't need him. Finn remarked that Poppy had looked after him when he'd been Luna's age.
Poppy affirmed it and noted that he'd become a doctor with a beautiful family, and she had an adult daughter with a mind of her own. Poppy missed the days when Luna would take her lead from her mother, who'd always been able to steer Luna clear of the topic of her father. Finn replied that, as Luna's cousin, he felt it was time that Luna knew who her father was.
At Luna's place, Luna was sorry to be emotional in front of Bill, but he assured her that she could talk to him. Bill figured he might be able to help or offer her guidance. Luna said that her mother had been like a best friend to confide in, "but now..." Bill assumed Luna felt she needed her father to talk to, but Poppy hadn't revealed who that was.
Luna asked if Bill thought she deserved to know. Bill replied that his thoughts didn't matter because it was between Luna and Poppy, but he had asked Poppy if he was the father. Luna replied that it wasn't Bill, and Poppy was wrong to keep apart a father and daughter who deserved to know each other. Bill asked if it had occurred to Luna that Poppy knew something Luna didn't. "Like he's a bad person?" she asked. Bill didn't mean that, but he was certain Poppy had Luna's best interests at heart with the decision.
Luna apologized for her emotions, but Bill liked that she trusted him with her feelings. She noted his kind eyes and figured they'd been the first thing Poppy had noticed about him, too, because the eyes were the windows to the soul. Bill admitted that his eyes didn't always reveal the best part of him, but they had the night he'd met Poppy. Bill revealed that he had to be careful about women because of his fortune. Luna said Poppy didn't care about money, and Bill replied that it was why he was so drawn to Poppy, who'd raised a remarkable daughter.
Bill asserted that Luna's father would be proud to have her as a daughter. He asked what he could do to help Luna without stepping on Poppy's role. Luna didn't know. She stated that she really liked Bill and wondered if he really could be her father. Bill told her that she'd be filthy rich, but Luna replied that she didn't care about money. Bill joked that it meant she couldn't be his daughter, and they laughed.
At Il Giardino, Liam saw Carter arrive and asked if he wanted to join Liam. Sitting down, Carter mentioned how much better it was without Sheila at the restaurant, but Liam said the Sheila nightmare was still happening for Steffy, who was still traumatized by taking a life.
Liam was concerned about Steffy, but Carter said her family was looking out for her. Liam remarked that he was, too, but she needed to look out for herself. Instead, though, she was most concerned about Thomas because of Hope. Liam revealed Steffy's belief that Hope was leading Thomas on, and Carter noted that he'd seen the engagement ring around Hope's neck, not on her finger. Liam thanked God for that much.
Carter assumed Liam had concerns. Admitting that he was biased, Liam said he'd always thought that relationship had been doomed to fail; he was just worried that Thomas would hurt Hope, not the other way around. Dripping with sarcasm, Liam explained that Steffy was worried that Hope would "break his fragile little heart."
Carter, who'd thought people were becoming more positive about Hope and Thomas, noted that they'd been dating a long time. Liam asked what would happen when it all went wrong. While Steffy was worried that Hope would break it off with Thomas, Liam was worried about how Thomas would react to it. Carter noted that Steffy and Liam didn't think Hope was in love.
Liam replied that Hope was always defensive on the topic of Thomas, saying "You don't know what we have," but Liam asked if Hope would act that way if she was really head over heels. Carter assumed Liam thought Hope was setting Thomas up for a huge disappointment.
In Eric's office, Steffy asserted that Hope had said no to Thomas, and it was time for him to say it back to Hope. "Do you hear me?" Steffy asked. Disillusioned, he said he'd planned a speech, made a dress, and had the ring. Steffy replied that Hope had been wearing the ring around her neck, and it wasn't right. Thomas knew that he and Hope loved each other, and he asked why Hope wouldn't just commit to him. He couldn't get what he'd done wrong.
Steffy assured her brother that he'd done nothing wrong, and it was all Hope. He couldn't believe Hope had rejected him again. Steffy wasn't surprised by Hope's actions. She believed his love for Hope was from a good place but would only cause him pain and frustration. He shook his head, but Steffy said Hope had let him down again and again. Enough was enough, and Steffy urged him to end his relationship with Hope.
Steffy said Hope had been using Thomas and would only break his heart. Hope wouldn't wear his ring or have a future with him. Steffy was certain Hope wouldn't commit. Thomas believed he should have kept his word and given Hope more time. Steffy said it was what Hope wanted, and Steffy urged him to see that Hope was playing games. He replied that it wasn't a game, but she insisted that Hope was stringing him along. Steffy figured he knew it, but neither he nor Hope wanted to hear it. Steffy urged him to think of himself and his sanity and then leave Hope.
Thomas replied that Steffy didn't know what she was asking. She reasoned that he had to think of himself and Douglas. She didn't think he should let Douglas continue to see Hope burn Thomas. Thomas refused to hide his feelings from his son. Steffy assumed that if Douglas found himself in the same situation with a woman, Thomas would want Douglas to protect himself.
Steffy advised Thomas to show that to Douglas and think of Thomas' pride and dignity. Calling the situation toxic, Steffy said it would resurrect his demons. She stated that he'd worked hard to change himself, and Hope wasn't worth it. Steffy wanted him to be happy and said he could be with any other woman in the world. Hugging him, she said he deserved to be happy.
In the salon, Hope slipped the ring on and off her finger, thinking of Thomas running out. Brooke arrived and wondered, "What is all this?" She saw the distraught Hope and asked what was wrong. Hope sobbed that Thomas had run out without letting her explain. She held up the ring and said he'd proposed again. Brooke guessed Hope had turned him down. Hope stammered that she wasn't ready, and the hurt Thomas hadn't been able to look at her.
Brooke was sure Hope felt terrible, but Brooke reminded her that she wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. Hope said she knew that, and she'd thought Thomas had understood. She stated that he'd said he hadn't been in any rush. Brooke asked what had changed. Hope said they'd been open and honest from the start.
Brooke replied that there was no reason to rush into a marriage, especially after how the one with Liam had ended. Hope sobbed, and Brooke urged Hope to think of herself and the children. In Brooke's mind, there was a lot for Hope to consider. Hope sobbed about the look that had been on Thomas' face. She said she'd caused that pain, and she couldn't imagine what he was feeling in that moment. Hope sobbed that she'd ruined everything.
Brooke told Hope not to think that way and to look out for herself and what was good for her own heart. Brooke said Hope couldn't go into a marriage if it wasn't what she truly wanted. Hope insisted that she wanted Thomas and their relationship. She wanted him to understand that she loved him.
In the design office, Thomas sketched. He thought of what had happened with Hope and of Steffy's advice about it. Brooke opened the door and observed him for several moments. She turned to leave but decided to enter and close the door behind her. She told him that she'd seen Hope in the salon and knew that he'd proposed. Thomas didn't want to talk about it.
Brooke said she wasn't there to make him feel worse. She observed how heartbroken he was and said Hope was, too. She claimed Hope hadn't wanted to hurt him or reject him. She said Hope had tried to explain. Thomas stated that Hope had been wearing the ring, albeit on her neck. He stated that she could have rejected it, but she'd kept wearing it. He felt that they'd gotten closer since then, and she'd told him that she hadn't wanted what they'd found in Rome to end. He'd really thought she'd accept the proposal. He asked if he'd been a fool. He wanted the truth. "Does Hope really love me?" he asked.
Back in Eric's office, Hope looked at a picture of her and Thomas and touched her bare neck. The door slammed. Steffy strode in, saying she hated being right sometimes. Hope assumed that Steffy knew. They spoke over each other, and Hope said she wasn't ready for that level of commitment.
Claiming to be well aware of it, Steffy said the only one who didn't know was Thomas. Steffy ordered Hope to stop the game. She said Thomas had loved Hope for a long time and had almost messed up his life over it. Hope claimed she understood that, and that was why she loved him. Steffy readily dismissed that idea, but Hope insisted that she did.
Steffy asked what the problem was. Hope replied that she knew what Thomas meant to her and that she could count on him. Steffy disagreed, saying she'd gotten through to him. Steffy revealed that she'd told Thomas the truth -- that Hope would never accept the proposal and was just using him, toying with his emotions. She said she'd advised Thomas to stand up and end the relationship with Hope once and for all.
At Il Giardino, Carter told Liam that it felt great to be able to eat at the restaurant without having to worry about Sheila. Liam quipped that they just had Thomas to worry about. Carter wondered if Liam felt that Thomas would "snap" if Hope rejected his marriage proposal. Liam grudgingly admitted that he'd "seen some apparent change in Thomas."
Noting that he worked with Thomas every day, Carter tried to make a case that Thomas had changed. "Old habits are easy to fall back on," Liam replied. Liam noted that Hope accepting Thomas' proposal could have other unexpected fallout: if Thomas and Hope were to split for any reason, it would make Hope a target for Steffy's anger.
Carter told Liam that worrying would not help anything. Liam praised Carter as a "decent listener" and thanked him for lending an ear. He then anxiously asked if Carter was planning to tell Ridge about their conversation. Carter chuckled and assured Liam that he was not a gossip.
In the design studio, Thomas asked Brooke if he had been a fool to believe that Hope would accept his proposal. Before Brooke could answer, Ridge burst into the office. The silence immediately made him realize that he had walked in on something. After several moments of silence, Brooke shared that Thomas had asked her about Hope's feelings for him.
Ridge was confused about why Thomas would need Brooke's interpretation of how Hope felt. Thomas turned to face his dad and said that he had proposed to Hope again. Despite her telling him that she loved him and never wanted that to end, Thomas shared that Hope had turned him down -- again.
Brooke insisted that Hope had never wanted to hurt Thomas. Thomas again asked Brooke how Hope really felt about him. Thomas noted that Steffy had told him to move on with his life and without Hope. Brooke was outraged by Steffy's advice. Brooke asked Thomas if he would want Hope to accept his proposal if she weren't truly ready to make a commitment. Ridge asked to have a moment alone with Thomas. Before leaving, Brooke told Thomas that she was sorry that things hadn't gone as he'd wanted them to.
Ridge told Thomas that he, too, was sorry. Thomas wondered if maybe Steffy had been right. Ridge suggested that it was possible that Hope did just need more time. Thomas said that Steffy had told him for months that Hope would never commit to him. He asked Ridge if it was possible that Steffy had been right all along. Ridge said nothing, instead choosing to walk over to his son and give him a hug.
In the executive office, Steffy and Hope continued their icy confrontation. "You told Thomas to end things with me?" Hope asked, her voice trembling. Steffy stood and silently stared at Hope. When Hope snapped that Steffy had had no right to do that, Steffy interjected that she would go to bat for Thomas anytime he needed her. Hope argued that rejecting Thomas' proposal was less hurtful than if she had accepted the proposal and not meant it.
Hope rejected the idea that she was toying with Thomas' emotions. She asked why Steffy wasn't able to appreciate the "self-awareness" that it took to say no to Thomas. "You don't love Thomas. You never have," Steffy snapped. Hope countered that Steffy had no idea how Hope felt about Thomas. Steffy claimed that Thomas and Hope's relationship had been one-sided in Hope's favor.
"We make each other better people," Hope said as she suggested that Steffy didn't really care about Thomas. Hope said that just because she had turned down Thomas' proposal, it did not mean that their relationship was over. Steffy again accused Hope of wanting a relationship only if it was on her own terms. Hope said that she had just been married, and walking down the aisle wasn't at the top of her priority list. "And neither is Thomas. Will he ever be?" Steffy retorted.
Steffy blasted Hope for not being able to consider Thomas' needs. Hope repeated that she loved Thomas and demanded that Steffy "back off." Steffy said that she could not "sit back" and watch Hope use Thomas and possibly compromise all the progress he had made. Steffy said that if Hope really loved Thomas, she should leave him and stop "stringing him along" and "using him like some kind of disgusting sex toy."
Hope dismissed Steffy's claims with a groan of disgust. "It really happened... you have gone full Logan," Steffy scoffed, insisting, "You are exactly like Brooke. Selfish, self-centered, you're throwing yourself at a Forrester. You don't care about tearing the family apart." Steffy vowed that she would find a way to end Hope and Thomas' relationship once and for all.
Due to CBS Sports coverage of the March Madness NCAA college 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 less-than-soapy schedule change. Regular programming resumed on Monday, March 25, and picked up where the Wednesday, March 20, episode concluded.
To celebrate Soap Central's 30th anniversary, here is a look at what was happening on B&B during the March Madness period in other years -- and there has been a lot of drama, including a shooting, a car bomb, a ghostly visit, a memorial service, and, of course, B&B's very first episode!
MARCH 1987
The Bold and the Beautiful debuted. The head designers at Forrester, Ridge and Eric, didn't see eye to eye when it came to the new clothing line. After consulting with Margo, Bill Spencer demanded that Ridge stop seeing Bill's virgin daughter, Caroline. To spite Bill, Ridge proposed to her instead. When Bill couldn't reason with Caroline about Ridge, Bill hired a detective to have Ridge followed. Two men attempted to abduct Brooke, and she and her police officer boyfriend, Dave, decided to use her as a decoy to catch the perpetrators. Katie fretted about her complexion, even after her mother reassured her, and she daydreamed about finding a dream guy who'd overlook it. Click here for the complete recap of this week
MARCH 1997
Ridge found Grant in his office, shot in the chest. When the police arrived, Grant accused Ridge of the dirty deed. Grant was rushed into surgery; the bullet was only a couple of inches from killing Grant. Brooke rushed home from Paris to be by her husband's side. She apologized for her past behavior toward him and promised it would be different. Ridge was released on a one-million-dollar bond with a restraining order to stay away from Grant. Everyone at Forrester was fingerprinted, but Lieutenant Baker believed they had their man. Grant was terrified when Ridge showed up in his hospital room. Click here for the complete recap of this week
MARCH 2009
At Big Bear, Thomas confessed to Taylor that he had wanted to scare Rick and had set the fire and planted the car bomb. Thomas told Taylor he was sorry -- and especially sorry that Pam was in jail, accused of his crimes. Thomas told Taylor and Ridge that he hated that Rick had been with Taylor and Phoebe and was hitting on Steffy. Thomas couldn't take it any longer. Taylor gave Steffy the bad news that it was Thomas who had set the fire at Rick's and planted the bomb. Steffy flipped out on Thomas, but Thomas fired right back at her that it was sick that Steffy would want to be with the guy who had killed Phoebe and nearly married their mother. Thomas shouted that he would never let Steffy be with Rick. Back in L.A., Stephanie informed Brooke that the police had the wrong person in jail. Pam didn't have the knowledge to assemble a car bomb, so whoever was trying to kill Rick was still free. Stephanie warned Brooke that the killer might harm Brooke's kids while trying to get at Rick. Stephanie warned Brooke that Ridge might be gone a long time with Taylor, Steffy, and Thomas. Brooke scoffed but seemed worried. Click here for the complete recap of this week
MARCH 2022
Thomas struggled with the idea of keeping Sheila's secret, but Sheila tried to convince him that his family's happiness depended on it. Steffy became suspicious of Thomas' empathy toward Brooke. Thomas tried to deter Hope from fighting for Brooke's marriage and indicated that he'd do anything to support his parents' reunion. Hope and Steffy clashed when Steffy walked in on Hope telling Ridge that he was essentially cheating on Brooke with Taylor. Sheila persisted in getting Deacon to go after Brooke, but when Deacon visited Brooke with a gift, she told him that she'd decided to fight for her marriage. Taylor slowed things down with Ridge and put off being intimate until he was sure about what he wanted. Grace and Paris argued about Paris' relationship with Carter. Siding with Grace, Carter advised Paris to accept if Zende should propose marriage. Click here for the complete recap of this week
Due to CBS Sports coverage of the March Madness NCAA college 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 less-than-soapy schedule change. Regular programming resumed on Monday, March 25, and picked up where the Wednesday, March 20, episode concluded.
To celebrate Soap Central's 30th anniversary, here is a look at what was happening on B&B during the March Madness period in other years -- and there has been a lot of drama, including a shooting, a car bomb, a ghostly visit, a memorial service, and, of course, B&B's very first episode!
MARCH 1987
The Bold and the Beautiful debuted. The head designers at Forrester, Ridge and Eric, didn't see eye to eye when it came to the new clothing line. After consulting with Margo, Bill Spencer demanded that Ridge stop seeing Bill's virgin daughter, Caroline. To spite Bill, Ridge proposed to her instead. When Bill couldn't reason with Caroline about Ridge, Bill hired a detective to have Ridge followed. Two men attempted to abduct Brooke, and she and her police officer boyfriend, Dave, decided to use her as a decoy to catch the perpetrators. Katie fretted about her complexion, even after her mother reassured her, and she daydreamed about finding a dream guy who'd overlook it. Click here for the complete recap of this week
MARCH 2000
Thorne went to deliver some invoices to Ridge, and Ridge informed Thorne that he would like them to put their differences aside, for Stephanie's sake. Morgan and Taylor were having lunch at Insomniac, and Taylor noticed that Morgan was distracted by something. Taylor asked what was happening between Morgan and Stephanie when Stephanie interrupted them. Brooke was thinking about Thorne finding her and Giovanni together and hoping that it would make him jealous and that he would return to her. She went so far as to put on a wedding gown and go down the runway with it on, hoping to entice him back. Kimberly realized that Amber had sabotaged her date with C.J., and Kimberly was not pleased. Morgan and Ridge flew to Paris. Morgan vowed that she would never let Ridge find out that she'd had an abortion several years before. Click here for the complete recap of this week
MARCH 2014
Rick decided to uphold his original decision that Forrester would keep silent about Wyatt's diamond antics. Aly quit her job as a result, but a ghostly Darla advised Aly that the Forresters needed her. After Ridge insisted upon forging a life with Katie, Bill told Brooke that Katie and Ridge's decision was a gift to Brooke and Bill. Ridge and Katie spent an intimate evening together, and a drunken Brooke berated herself in front of Stephanie's portrait until she passed out on the floor. Rick became filled with vengeance when Bill told him what Ridge had done, and Bill expressed deep concern about how morose Brooke had become. Click here for the complete recap of this week
MARCH 2019
The Forresters and Spencers helped Thomas have a memorial service for Caroline Spencer in Los Angeles. Thomas revealed to his parents that he and Caroline had merely co-parented Douglas and hadn't had a romantic relationship. Taylor noted to Ridge that Hope and Douglas were bonding, which could help each of them heal. In an emotional moment, Taylor kissed Ridge. After witnessing the kiss, Brooke warned Taylor that Brooke would deal swiftly with any indiscretions. Click here for the complete recap of this week
