Claire Turns to [Spoiler] After Dumping Kyle — and Jack Reaches Out to Jill
At the ranch, Nikki complains to Victor, Victoria and Nick that all they do is talk about Cane (at least someone gets it!).
After Victoria and Nick have gone, Nikki admits she’s worried her husband will take Jack’s olive branch and beat him with it. “Why the hell do you care about that?” he grunts.
Can Sally Persuade Audra?
At Chancellor Park, ready for a run, Audra tries to talk to Sally about her business ideas, but her pal announces that Abbott Communications could be back on track. Audra’s unimpressed that her friend has turned back to Billy. Sally explains they had a breakthrough after she gave him an ultimatum. Audra doubts Billy’s sincerity and thinks Sally’s working too hard to convince herself. Spectra insists her eyes are wide open.
Audra warns she should keep her career and her man separate. They talk about how Abbott Communications would function, and Audra worries that Billy would micromanage them. Worse, they have no funding. Sally’s confident Jack will come through for them, but Audra is frustrated that they’re at the mercy of men again.
At the Abbott mansion, Harrison greets Claire, shows off his Italian, and hugs her. As they discuss his return to school, the boy embraces Kyle and Claire.
Upon their return from school drop-off, Kyle and Claire chat about how much they’ve missed Harrison and her new job, but the small talk runs out. He wishes they could be normal together, and is at a loss about what else he can do to fix things.
What Will Jack Say to Billy’s Request?
On a videocall with Jill at Jabot, Jack tells her she looks remarkably well. “Who is in trouble now and how bad is it?” she asks, assuming Billy is falling apart again. Jack can’t deny it, but adds that the high stakes are due to Cane. She doesn’t understand why everyone sees him as such a threat. Jack suggests she jet back to find out what her surrogate son has been up to.
Billy knocks on the door, so Jack abruptly ends the call. Billy declares that he’s back on track after Sally gave him a stern talking to. Now, he wants to convince his brother to invest in Abbott Communications again, promising this is the last time. Jack refuses. He has no doubts about Sally, but his brother has pushed him too far. “Your words don’t mean anything anymore,” says Jack. He doesn’t buy the idea that Billy will take a backseat or stop playing games. Billy insists he will make it happen. Jack wishes him the best of luck.
What Will Nick Tell Victoria?
At Society, Nick and Victoria agree that their dad working with Jack and Jill will be a disaster. Cane passes by as they’re discussing how much Billy resents Jill. Nick thinks Billy is still a wild card. They wonder why Cane is bothering with this and Nick assumes he’s just greedy and has nothing better to do. Switching gears, Nick tells Victoria that he’s leaving town for a few weeks… with Sharon. Victoria thinks it’s for the best that he stay away during whatever is happening between Jack and their father.
How Will Billy Break Bad News?
Billy finds Sally and Audra at Crimson Lights after their job. Sally correctly guesses that Jack refused to fund them. Repeating a line we’ve heard many times over, Billy assures her this isn’t over.
Will Victor Team With Jack?
Jack arrives at the ranch, where Nikki has been worrying to her husband that Jill will throw her weight behind Cane. Jack flatly asks the Mustache if he’s considered his proposal. As stomach-turning as it is, do they have a deal?
What’s Claire’s Next Move?
At the Abbott mansion, Claire tells Kyle this isn’t about him or what he’s done; she’s given the people in her life too much power to tell her what to do and dove into their relationship too quickly. Her instincts are telling her to make her own mistakes in the world. “Sounds like you’re breaking up with me,” he says. Claire says it’s not forever, but she needs room on her own.
At Chancellor Park, after taking half a minute to sob, Claire whips out her phone to call her first potential mistake, aka Holden, and asks if his invitation to L.A. is still open.
