Why B&B’s Hope Logan Was Right to Tell Thomas No

Things have really been progressing for Hope Logan and Thomas Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful. The holiday season found the pair bonding more and not just steaming up the office. Thomas’s family says that he is a changed man (for, like, the 52nd time). Hope says that in her own way, she loves Thomas – even if she does not declare it on a daily basis. Does this mean that it’s time for the lovebirds to make it official? Absolutely not.

Hope Says Thank You, But No

Clearly, the last thing Hope (Annika Noelle) was expecting was for Thomas (Matthew Atkinson) to get down on bended knee at Forrester Creations and pop the question. The sizable sparkler Thomas presented to her sure left her tongue-tied. Yes, Hope seemed excited, but her eyes revealed a lot of “oh, no” as well. (Refresh your memory of that here.)

After regaining her composure, Hope diplomatically explained to overeager puppy dog Thomas that she couldn’t make that kind of commitment to him at this point. Thank god. Hope has been acting out of character since her split from Liam (Scott Clifton), to the concern of viewers who don’t like seeing such a sultry and selfish Hope. If she completely threw caution to the wind and jumped into a new marriage with Thomas, we would say she needs to have her head checked.

Hope Logan Needs Time

Surely there is no need to take their relationship to the next level with such speed. The fact that Thomas impulsively popped the question in the middle of the workday does not bode well for his state of mind. It’s like the beginning of old Thomas starting to show underneath his carefully crafted new persona.

Did Thomas take the ring back and acknowledge that Hope needs more time? No, he did not. He put the ring on the chain around her neck so that it could be close to her heart. Sweet. And so that she would be sort of engaged to Thomas. Or, that she would be persuaded to give Thomas the answer that he wants sooner rather than later. Can you say pushy?

Thomas also has made quite a note of what Hope was missing in her marriage to Liam. To feel as if she is the only woman that matters in her partner’s eyes. Thomas has continued to tell Hope exactly what she wants to hear, how she is the only woman for him. Over and over…and over. Can you say manipulative?

Tread Lightly, Thomas

Now that Xander Avant (Adain Bradley) is back in town and spilling murderous secrets at the doctor’s office, things aren’t looking too good for Thomas. Whether you believe that people really can change, this new reminder of his past misdeeds could well make Thomas veer off the path of maintaining his sanity. Hope, you would be wise to keep your options open.

The Bold and the Beautiful airs weekdays on CBS. For an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.