Is Eric Falling For Nicole--or a Lie?

The minute that Nicole sashayed into Salem with her mile-high legs and that determined slant to her chin, Eric couldn't help but be attracted to her. But maybe he should have tried harder. She's hiding something, and doing so is getting ever more difficult. This week, to her horror, she learns that her first modeling assignment will take place in Los Angeles, where her skeletons are buried. Now, she must weigh her ambition and her fear--and put her faith in Eric!

Initially, Nicole didn't even want to go out with Eric, "But he's so nice," notes her portrayer, Arianne Zucker. "Now her feelings for him are genuine."

From Eric's point of view, Nicole offers an unbeatable combination. "She's beautiful, and she's smart, and she has a little something she's hiding," suggests Jensen Ackles, who plays the good Brady twin. "That intrigues Eric."

So, just what is Nicole's secret? She has received a couple of letters that distressed her enough to rip them to shreds; she has slammed down the telephone receiver repeatedly; and one missive even prompted her to mail some cash back to the note's writer.

Eric To The Rescue?

Whatever Nicole is hiding, it's big. When she learns that she has to go to L.A.--the city all those letters are coming from--she doesn't take it well. "She freaks out," Zucker says bluntly. "But if she says no, she's going to ruin her chances of getting a modeling career going."

Whatever Nicole is afraid of, she can count on Eric to stand by,her knight in shining armor. "He'd try to protect any friend, but with Nicole even more so," admits Ackles. "There's something about her that he really likes."

"I think they will fall in love," he adds. "But I'm hoping for some twists. She could turn out to be evil."

Whatever is Nicole's secret, time is running out for her to keep it. Only when it is revealed will Eric really know how deeply he cares for her...and her for him.

Soaps In Depth--June 2, 1998