The Bold and the Beautiful recap (Nov. 7): Hope rejects Thomas

It finally happened! Thomas made his move on Hope today on The Bold and the Beautiful. The last time the two were in a compromising position, it turned out to be a fantasy Thomas had conjured up. That was incredibly disappointing for Thope fans who’ve been rooting for some progress to be made in the co-parents’ relationship. But now we’ve got the real deal…at least in terms of Thomas crossing the line with more than words.

However, anyone who’s been patiently waiting for Thomas and Hope’s potential to be capitalized on in the show knows that it won’t be an easy road getting there. For over a decade, Hope has been deeply and seemingly irrevocably in love with Liam. Her husband hurt her by not attending the Hope for the Future preview, but she wasn’t so upset that she was willing to forgo her vows and make a mistake she couldn’t walk back.

So, while Thomas did lean in for a kiss, her response was to stop him. Apparently, Hope is willing to sit and listen to Thomas’ many compliments and speeches on his devotion to her, but encouraging or passively accepting any physical displays of that truth is off limits. Personally, I respect that Hope drew a line, I just wish she’d drawn it sooner considering her relationship with Thomas has never been on the up-and-up no matter what she tries to tell herself.

Here’s what happened on our soap today.

The Bold and the Beautiful recap (Nov. 7)

Hope did her best to hide her sadness over Liam skipping out on her big day, but Thomas picked up on it after they discussed not wanting to ever disappoint Douglas or a loved one. While my mind went to Thomas and the CPS call, which no one knows about yet, Hope’s went to her husband. She wanted to share in this day with him, but his distaste for Thomas kept him away.

It should be noted that that’s all on Liam, but it hurt her nonetheless. Ever the Hope cheerleader, Thomas told her that she should focus on the people who are always there for her (re: him and Douglas). And that’s pretty much what she did all episode. She even entertained Douglas saying once again that he wishes they could be together like this all the time, much to her discomfort.

And, after she and Thomas tucked their son in for the night, she ended up staying at Forrester Mansion longer than she intended. Thomas had offered her more champagne, but she declined so then he suggested California’s finest apple cider and she accepted. The two found themselves on the couch talking despite Hope saying she had to get home.

Meanwhile, Liam was continuing to worry back at the cabin. Wyatt came over to see his niece and congratulate Hope on the success of the preview but instead he became a sounding board for Liam’s concerns. Once again, Liam questioned why Hope doesn’t seem to want Thomas out of her life. Maybe he’ll figure it out soon but it’s obvious to me that it’s because she appreciates all that Thomas brings to her life even if she still doesn’t see him in a romantic light.

That’s why I’m glad that she stopped Thomas from kissing her and told him that it wasn’t ever going to happen. This conversation has been a long time coming for the two. While I’m of the mind that Thope could happen one day, it’s clear that if they’re ever going to head toward a romance, Hope has to be the one to initiate it.

She knows that Thomas loves her, that’s not in question. Neither is his devotion to her. But she is married and committed to Liam. Hope isn’t in a place to reciprocate Thomas’ advances even if she is willing to hear them and accept how he feels about her. Going in for a kiss has put her in an uncomfortable position on a night where she’s already feeling bittersweet.

The next episode, as Thope hashes this out, is sure to be good. I’m positive the conversation will be more thrilling than Bill and Brooke’s today as he asserted he’d ensure that nothing happens with Thomas and Hope, reminded Brooke that he’s still her “stallion” complete with horse noises, and asked her to give their love another try.

But I doubt Thope’s upcoming talk will be as sweeping and romantic as Deacon and Sheila’s date which saw the pair enjoying a night together at Il Giardino after hours. The dashing con turned barkeep did something nice for his friend and lover to show he cares about her and to get her out of their cramped apartment without fear of being caught.

They even slow danced after Deacon told her to close her eyes and think of the song she’d like to sway to and then she whispered it to him before their sweet moment. Sheila thanked Deacon for the effort he put into their date and expressed how it assured her that her life isn’t over. She had her scheming face on after her speech, much to Deacon’s dismay, which means we’re definitely headed toward Sheila making her presence known one of these days.

As for Liam, he nearly left the cabin to go get Hope but stopped himself. Now I’m wondering if he’ll be interrupting Thope as they talk through their near kiss or if he’ll be kept in the dark about it. This week on the Bold and the Beautiful is going to be so good! Until next time, Bold fans. Stay beautiful.

Stay tuned to Hidden Remote for more The Bold and the Beautiful news and coverage! New episodes of the soap air Mondays-Fridays on CBS. Evening viewing is available on Paramount+.