Previously…
– After Gia was promoted to fill Molly’s COO position at Objection, Finn (who secretly conspired with Loretta to have Molly ousted) expressed interest in becoming her assistant. 
– After Diane put herself on the line to free Tempest from jail, Tempest surprised Isaac by apologizing for how harshly she reacted to learning that he’d been involved with Diane.
– Word of Tori and Zane’s engagement spread through town.

“I thought you might want one,” Samantha Fisher says as she holds out the bright red poinsettia.

Trevor Brooks looks around his office, which sits within the headquarters of Objection Designs inside Winston Tower. Despite the holiday cheer permeating the office more and more as Christmas (and its accompanying break) grows closer, Trevor’s personal office displays no signs of the festive season.

“I guess this place could use something,” he says, holding out his hands to accept the plant. 

“There were so many left over after the shoot yesterday,” Samantha explains. “I didn’t want them to go to waste.”

“Now let’s just hope all our ‘brand ambassadors’ remember to make the holiday posts they agreed to,” he says with a chuckle.

“And let’s also hope that they don’t mangle the copy I wrote too badly.”

The coworkers share a laugh as Trevor slightly rearranges items on his desk in order to find the proper spot to display his new poinsettia.

“Who’s ready for some good news?” a voice calls out, and an instant later, Finn Campbell appears in the doorway of Trevor’s office. The brown-haired man with a chiseled face wears a heavy navy cardigan over slim gray trousers.

He regards Samantha with surprise before saying, “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize you weren’t alone.”

“It’s fine,” Trevor says. “What kind of good news?”

Finn widens his eyes with excitement. “You’re looking at Gia’s brand-new second assistant!”

“Congratulations!” Trevor tells him.

“That’s great,” Samantha says, a bit more reserved. “Really exciting.”

“Isn’t it?” Finn says, rubbing his hands together. “Honestly,  I knew I’d wind up in that office. This was how it was always supposed to be.”

Trevor bounds forward to give his friend a hug, while Samantha folds her arms. As the two men embrace, she clears her throat. They look toward her.

“What exactly does that mean, Finn?” she asks.

—–

“Okay, now hand me the strand,” Tori Gray says as she slides behind the Christmas tree — or, rather, between the tree and the living room wall of their apartment.

Zane Tanaka passes her the green rope of lights and comments, “There’s got to be an easier way to do this.”

“If there is, I haven’t figured it out yet.” She weaves the lights through the branches on the tree’s backside before stretching her arm to pass them back to her fiancé. “Now you do the front again and pass them back.”

He does as instructed.

“Our first tree as an engaged couple,” Zane says. “We should get a special ornament made to hang.”

Tori peeks her head out from behind the tree. “I love that idea.”

She continues to work on the lights and then hands the strand back around to him.

“I was thinking about something else,” she says, “for the holidays.”

“What’s that?”

“Should we spend Christmas with your family this year? We do all our holidays with mine.”

Zane goes silent and swallows hard. Then he focuses intently on hanging more lights. 

“Zane?” Tori asks. “Do you have any opinion on that?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he chokes out.

“I haven’t even met your family. And we’re getting married–“

“And there are reasons for that,” he says brusquely. He again holds out the lights, but this time, Tori does not take them from him.

She peeks her head around the tree. “What kind of reasons?”

Zane grits his teeth as he glares back at her. 

“You went to help out your dad when you had to leave town all of a sudden a few years ago,” she presses. “And then you showed up at the opening of my family’s restaurant to surprise me. Remember?”

“Yeah…”

“Then what’s going on? Why don’t you want me to meet your family?”

—–

Platz Street, located in downtown King’s Bay only a few blocks off the waterfront, is alive with the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. Feeling satisfied with her most recent purchases, Diane Bishop steps out of the Objection boutique — but she only makes it a few steps down the sidewalk before she sees the man in the brown leather jacket approaching. It is too late for her to dodge Isaac Banks, though they each slow their pace as they move toward one another. 

“Christmas shopping?” he asks with a nod of his head toward the bags clutched in her left hand.

“Somewhat. Yeah.” She feels the chilly air blowing into her face; the winter cool is intensified by whatever is drifting in off the bay. “You?”

“I’m trying to find something for my little brother. I barely know the kid, and I don’t have a ton of experience buying gifts for toddlers–“

“Try a book. His parents will appreciate it, it won’t cause a ton of clutter, and it’s educational.”

“Do you know a cool little bookstore around here? Anything independent?”

“There used to be one place,” she says with a shudder at the memory of her time working at The Blank Page, which turned out to be a front for a drug ring that nearly got her and Sarah killed. “But not off the top of my head. You might want to try Amazon.”

“Well, thanks.”

“No problem.” Their eyes meet, and she feels the itch of discomfort. “Good luck. And happy holidays.” Then she is in motion again, pushing past him.

“Diane. Hold up.” 

Even the sound of his voice gets her to do just that. As she stops in her tracks, she hates herself for it. 

“There’s something I need to say to you.” He waits while she slowly turns around.

“If you feel the need to give me a Christmas present,” Diane says, “can it just be silence–“

“Thank you,” he says, cutting her off. 

“You already said that. And all I did was tell you to use Amazon.”

“For what you did for Tempest. You didn’t have to do that.”

Diane crosses her arms as another chill sweeps over her. The shopping bags hand awkwardly in front of her body. “What you mean is, you didn’t think I would do something like that.”

“I didn’t say that. Why you gotta be like that?”

“Sorry. Fine. I appreciate your appreciation. And I’m glad Tempest is okay. I really am.” She lowers her arms again, and when their eyes meet, she forces herself not to gaze into his. “But I need to get going. I have actual Christmas shopping to get done. This was all stuff I bought for myself — typical, right?”

“Diane–“

“Merry Christmas, Isaac.”

Without allowing him a chance to respond, she turns and strides up the street, doing her best to ignore the aching feeling in her chest. 

—–

As Finn and Trevor separate, Samantha watches the former Objection receptionist carefully. Something about his tone doesn’t sound right to her.

“I– I know this must be weird for you because of your aunt’s situation,” Finn says. “I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

“You’re allowed to be excited about a new job,” Samantha replies. “It’s just… you made it sound like there was more to the story.”

Finn shakes his head, feeling both Sam and Trevor’s stares upon him now.

“I don’t know if you knew this, but Tori and I applied for the receptionist job at the same time,” he says. “I got that one, and Molly hired her as her assistant, and– I’d never blame Molly for wanting to give her niece a chance, but I did wish that job had been publicly posted so I could’ve had a shot at it, too.”

“And you’ve done a great job proving yourself in the last year,” Trevor says. “You’ve been an asset to Objection.”

Samantha nods in agreement. “I didn’t mean to rain on your parade. It just sounded like — never mind. Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Finn says with a warm smile. “I know I’m up to the challenge. And I’m really grateful to have gotten my foot in the door at all.”

Trevor claps him on the arm. “Celebratory lunch later?”

“I’d love that,” Finn responds. “But for now, I need to get to my new desk.”

He scurries out of the office, excitement radiating from his being. 

“I hope I didn’t sound too rude,” Samantha says once he is gone. “It’s a little strange to celebrate my aunt and cousin being out of jobs, that’s all.”

“It’s a weird situation,” Trevor says. “But this could work out for everyone. Once Molly is reinstated, she’ll bring Tori back, and Finn will have built up his résumé working for Gia.”

“You’re right.”

“Now…” He moves around the desk and holds out his arms theatrically. “…what do we think about this poinsettia placement?”

—–

Zane drops the strand of lights to the living room carpet. 

“It isn’t that I don’t want you to meet my family,” he tells Tori. “It’s that you can’t.”

“What?” she asks, scrunching up her face.

“Or, that there isn’t really a family to meet. My dad and I — when I went back home to help him out, I thought it was gonna be progress. But was he grateful? Nope.” 

Zane shakes his head in annoyance, or perhaps disgust — whichever it is, Tori can see the virulence within him.

“It’s always been like that with him,” Zane says ruefully. “He doesn’t get me. Doesn’t get why I haven’t accomplished more. Expects me to do everything he ever did. Sorry if I don’t want two ex-wives and a pill addiction.”

She breathes in sharply. “I had no idea–“

“Because I didn’t tell you. I thought you wouldn’t want to be saddled with all my family’s crap.”

“What about your mom?”

“Damned if I even know where she is these days,” Zane says. “I can’t really blame her for leaving my dad behind, but did she have to do me like that, too?”

“I wish you had told me all of this sooner,” Tori says as she steps out from behind the tree. She uses her hand to rub comforting circles on his back. 

“I was worried it would be too much for you. You come from this big, loving family–“

She scoffs. “Don’t even act like my family is all rainbows and lollipops.”

“I know they aren’t,” he says with a hint of a grin, “but everyone loves each other in the end. Not like mine.”

“Well, we’re getting married.” She takes his hand. “Maybe that’s a reason for your family to come back together.”

“No. No way. I don’t want them ruining this.” He squares his body to hers. “I don’t want them ruining us.”

“You really don’t want your family involved in our wedding?”

“Or our marriage. If they come to me, with good intentions, someday. Maybe. But a lot would have to change.”

Tori breathes in deeply through her nose. “I’m here for you, okay? You know that?”

“Of course I do.” Zane wraps his arms around her and pulls her close. “Promise me you’ll always be here with me. For me. Just like what that ring on your finger symbolizes.”

She eyes her emerald engagement ring over his shoulder.

“I promise,” she says, as she kisses him by the half-hung lights of their little Christmas tree.

As their lips part, Zane tenderly pulls her head against his chest — and only then does he allow an expression of relief to spread over his face.

It’s better this way, he thinks to himself. Better for us.

END OF EPISODE 1110

What is Zane keeping from Tori about his family?
Will Sam or Trevor become suspicious of Finn’s motives?
Why was Diane so short with Isaac?
Talk about all this and more in the comments below!

Next Episode