The Bold and the Beautiful recap (Dec. 7): Bill won’t lose

Bill donned his sword necklace for today’s episode of The Bold and the Beautiful.

The statement piece had been a symbol of the Spencer family might and ruthlessness back in the day before betrayal and a vow to be a better man saw Bill putting the necklace in storage. He’d done so as a means of reconnecting with his sons, Liam and Wyatt, who’d already cast aside their own swords in the face of their father’s underhandedness.

The necklace’s return, however, isn’t due to reasons you’d expect. As was teased in the spoilers for the soap, Bill has been struggling with his own darkness. The sword, though it’s taken on many meanings over the years, is being treated as a ward against further slips into the abyss by the powerful but lonely man who wears it.

Bill made this clear when he once again attempted to get his ex-wife Katie Logan to give him yet another chance at a life together. He didn’t succeed but, as he told her, he’s not one to lose and he sure isn’t going to watch her move on with Forrester Creations’ CFO, Carter Walton.

Here’s the full recap of events.

What happened today on The Bold and the Beautiful?

Katie, who hasn’t stepped foot in Bill’s home in forever, paid a visit to Spencer mansion to pick up some items for their son, Will. She’s in the middle of making a care package to send to his boarding school and had swung by the place to pick up some things that Will’s been asking for.

In true soap fashion, Katie had a visible reaction to Bill’s appearance in the living room. Though it was less so about him popping up on her and more so the sight of his sword necklace. No Spencer has worn one in years, but Bill’s is back in all its glory. This time, however, it’s not a symbol of how the businessman sees himself but rather who he’d like to be again. Likely with toned down ruthlessness but with the reminder that his bite is just as fierce as his bark.

Bill has been spiraling since Brooke rejected him and Katie refused to let him back into her life romantically. He had been drowning his sorrows in liquor but that level of darkness has begun to eat at him, so he’s hoping the sword necklace wards off the worst of his destructive impulses and imbues with the strength and ‘King of the Mountaintop’ attitude that he’d once exuded.

Part of this image re-calibration involves getting Katie to be by his side once more. She, however, has told him repeatedly that she cannot continue to open her heart to a man who is in love with her sister. Bill tried to sidestep that truth today on the soap but Katie didn’t budge.

Admittedly, it was quite galling watching the man speak to her about abandonment. Bill has either attempted to or succeeded in leaving Katie multiple times. She never seems to be enough for him and it has wreaked havoc on her insecurities and ability to feel safe and loved in a relationship with Bill. So it’s no wonder she keeps telling him no. At this point, she’s not abandoning him to his self-pity and loneliness, she’s acting in self-preservation.

Bill, of course, only heard Katie rejecting him even though she gave him clear reasons for why they can’t be together and that she needs to move on. But what’s really grinding his gears is that she’s doing so with Carter Walton.

The CEO and CFO have rarely had scenes but their most recent one saw Carter asserting himself as the man in Katie’s life. They haven’t put a label on their relationship, but he’s made her aware of his intentions and budding feelings for her. The two have reveled in their connection, and Katie’s shared her growing care for Carter with her sisters.

He’s done nothing but be honest, kind, and sweet. And her heart isn’t in danger of being broken at a moment’s notice the way it would be with Bill if Brooke decided she wants to be with him after all. So no amount of promises Bill makes about this time being different, no matter how he phrases his vows of commitment to her, Katie’s not willing to be disappointed by him again.

Bill, however, is both insistent and persistent. He’s not giving up on her and he darn sure isn’t about to lose her to Carter. At least, that’s what he believes. I’m not sure who’s going to be in his corner with this endeavor but Carter has the support of Brooke.

The two caught up at Forrester Creations, with Brooke letting him know that Ridge is out of town sorting out his feelings. She’s still riding an air of contentment, so it’s obvious she isn’t concerned that her ex-husband will keep true to his word to Taylor and get married. Brooke’s confidence is awing. Forget her perfume line, they should just bottle up her nerve and sell that because it’s astounding. Though it does help that she’s surrounded by support.

Carter can be counted among that rank. While he’s expressed his respect for Taylor, he hopes Bridge can toss their annulment to the wind and get back on track. Brooke thanked him for his words and she in turn let him know that she supports his relationship with Katie.

While it isn’t defined, she knows that it’s the better path for her sister. Brooke was on the receiving end of Bill’s love declarations, she’s aware his heart lies elsewhere and doesn’t want Katie to be in a romance with a man where she has to second guess his intentions and desire to be with her.

That’s the same reason Brooke made her expectations known to Ridge. She, herself, doesn’t want to go back and forth, one minute he’s with her and the next he’s with Taylor. It’s not right and she deserves better, so she made that abundantly plain. Now she waits to see whether they’ll move forward together (though she believes they will).

Katie’s better could be Carter. He’s not sure where they stand but Brooke did let him know that she’s aware of how he took a stand for Katie and said some rather wonderful things about her sister. And, she told him that she knows because Katie told her. The moment meant a lot to Katie, so it’s only a matter of time before she and Carter make things official.

Elsewhere, Finn and Steffy continued their investigation into Sheila’s supposed death. I thought the toe was enough of a confirmation that she wasn’t mauled by a bear, but the two had to do some basic level shifting through evidence that included making commentary on what hair ripped from someone’s scalp by an animal should look like.

I’m so glad we got past that nonsensical bit of plot by the end of the episode and the two jumped straight to asking the one person who’d know about Sheila’s whereabouts if she’s still in LA. Deacon. It’s a good thing he’d already stuffed her belongings in a suitcase by the time they came knocking because otherwise he was going to have some things to explain.

However, that may have been the least of his problems. Steffy let Deacon in on what she thinks is brand new information to him: Sheila’s alive. And his facial response was not on par for a man receiving a revelation like that which Finn seemed to have caught. I’m sure we’ll all excited to see how Deacon wiggles his way out of this one.

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+.