Amanda Conner wasn’t the only one saying yes when Ryan Edwards dropped to his bended knee this January.
Count his former fiancée Maci Bookout—mom to their 16-year-old son Bentley
—among those thrilled to see the soon-to-be dad of four commit to forever with her former high school classmate.
“She has been a game-changer, honestly,” the Teen Mom star raved of Amanda in an exclusive interview with E! News. “We’re very close friends and she’s just got really great energy. She’s very authentic and she genuninely loves and cares about Ryan and Bentley so obviously that’s all I could ever ask for.”
And like her husband-to-be, Amanda—who has a son from her previous marriage—is enjoying her own sobriety journey.
“I got kicked out of public schools from drugs and fighting and getting in trouble, getting arrested at a young age,” she shared last fall on
Instead, she’s looking ahead to a future that includes the spring arrival of their little girl and making memories with their blended family.
“Bentley really enjoys her,” noted Maci, also mom to Jayde, 00, and Maverick, 00, with husband Taylor McKinney. “Even my other two kids, they love her and her son, so having her around has been wonderful.”
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Instead, she’s looking ahead to a future that includes the spring arrival of her and Ryan’s little girl and making memories with their blended family.
“Bentley really enjoys her,” noted Maci, also mom to Jayde, 9, and Maverick, 8, with husband Taylor McKinney. “Even my other two kids, they love her and her son, so having her around has been wonderful.”
Maci Bookout/Instagram
Though, while Bentley is prepared to exercise his considerable eldest sibling skills, Maci joked, “I think he is ready for this to be the last sibling.”
Nor is he looking to put his expertise to use on any babies of his own at the moment.
“We’ve always had those open communications,” Maci explained of speaking to her teen about safe sex in the upcoming season of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, which premieres on MTV Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. “So they’re definitely not as awkward as they were in the beginning. I know it sounds odd, but they’re normal.”
As is, remarkably, her once-contentious (as in restraining order contentious) relationship with ex Ryan.
Having ironed out the considerable kinks in their co-parenting partnership back in 2023, “We are still doing really well,” Maci emphasized. “I honestly think it’s gotten here because there was no pressure. We’ve let it naturally take its course and just our communication’s better.”
And, of course, it doesn’t hurt that Ryan—also dad to Jagger, 6, and Stella, 5, with first wife Mackenzie Standifer—has been working to improve himself since his 2023 overdose.
“I think Ryan being sober and healthy has created a fresh air for us to breathe in,” acknowledged Maci. “But we also made a commitment to try and stay respectful and to maintain communication even if we’re feeling some type of way.”
Instagram/Maci Bookout
As for how she handled Bentley feeling some type of way as he witnessed Ryan’s various legal troubles, “Therapy,” Maci shared of their not-so-secret weapon. “Therapy and honestly doing work on
These days, when it comes to her eldest son, “You can almost even physically see how much
Because their happy quartet also includes Taylor, Maci’s husband of eight years.
“Even when we’ve had a rough year together, I think at the end of the day, I still choose him,” she previously explained to E! of her forever teammate. “I like him. And even if I want to punch him in the face sometimes, I’d rather argue with him or have a rough patch with him than never have a rough patch with anybody else.”
Image Credit: CBS.
In the November 13 episode of The Young and the Restless
, Cane took a surprising step toward redemption, opening up to Phyllis about his losses, regrets, and need to rebuild after Victor’s devastating AI strike. Across town, Adam made his move against Billy, plotting to publicly humiliate him in a strategic play designed to impress Victor. Both moments revealed the tension between revenge and renewal in Genoa City — and hinted that a new corporate and personal war is about to begin.
Key Takeaways
Cane (Billy Flynn) faced the aftermath of losing control of his company after Victor’s (Eric Braeden) calculated AI attack. When Adam (Mark Grossman) found him at Society, Cane refused to take the bait. Instead of rage, he projected calm, even thanking Victor for forcing him to re-evaluate his priorities. The exchange unsettled Adam, who expected fury, not reflection.
When Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) arrived, their conversation took on a more personal tone. Cane confessed that he wanted to rebuild his life from the ground up — not just his business, but his relationships, too. He admitted to wanting to make amends with his children and even Lily (Christel Khalil), though Phyllis shot down the idea as unrealistic.
Still, their connection deepened when she offered to help him reconnect with his family. The tension grew palpable when Cane teased that she sounded like she was trying to seduce him — a line that shifted their dynamic in an instant.
Cane’s sudden humility marks a potential turning point. For years, he’s defined himself by competition, control, and ego — all traits that helped destroy his empire. By opening up to Phyllis, he may have found an unlikely ally, but also one capable of using his vulnerability to her advantage. Phyllis’s involvement in Victor’s AI plot remains unclear, but her proximity to both men puts her in a dangerous position. If she’s sincere, this could mark a redemptive chapter for them both. If not, Cane’s trust could become her latest weapon.
Meanwhile, Adam’s decision to publicly humiliate Billy (Jason Thompson) reveals his enduring need for Victor’s approval. On the surface, it’s business — a bid to convince an investor to abandon Abbott Communications — but emotionally, it’s another move in Adam’s lifelong struggle to prove his worth to his father. Every step deeper into Victor’s orbit risks undoing his fragile independence.
READ MORE: Who really has Cane’s AI software?
The ripple effects of these choices could be enormous. Cane’s quest for redemption may clash directly with Victor’s hunger for dominance, and Phyllis could find herself caught between them. Adam’s scheming risks triggering another Newman-Abbott war — one that won’t just target businesses but relationships, reputations, and trust itself. In Genoa City, peace never lasts long, and tonight’s uneasy calm feels like the silence before the next explosion.