Did James Steinbeck ever truly love anyone?

[WalnutGirl]

Considering the way, he treated Barbara and Emily, you have to wonder.

[GuidingLite]

No, I don't think he did - I think he was obsessed with Barbara for a while, but only as something/someone he couldn't possess.....but I don't think James ever really loved anyone at all.

Over the years he was with Barbara, Margo, Emily, Dee Stewart, Karen Hanes, Lucinda Walsh, Audrey Coleman, Samantha Markham - none of them were, I'd say, the love of his life.....

During the run of the show the writers got REALLY ridiculous with the long-lost spawn of Stenbeck....revealing he'd had a child with Lucinda (off screen) before either of them ever appeared on the show....and then with Henry Coleman turning out to be a Stenbeck...James, at the time of his demise, had apparently fathered six children (including his miscarried child with Emily and deceased child with Lucinda) and was the most 'prolific' father in Oakdale history (well, tied with Harvey Snyder who had six children, but one adopted). I think the only thing more ridiculous than the amount of 'long-lost' children he had was the amount of times he returned from the dead and how they explained it each time....

[WalnutGirl]

I think James ties with Helena C and Stefano D regarding soap characters surviving death! When did James get involved with Dee? I was in grammar school then.. Nor did I know he hooked up with Lucinda or Sam. I recall him seducing one of Dusty and Lily's classmates. He also dated the girl's mom. The teen was upper crust and snotty as hell. She briefly had a crush on Holden. She became nicer after she realized James used her and killed her mom. She later married someone else, but stayed pals with Dusty. Making Henry his son was dumb. I never knew Emma's husband name.

[TommyP]

No, I don't think he did - I think he was obsessed with Barbara for a while, but only as something/someone he couldn't possess.....but I don't think James ever really loved anyone at all.

Over the years he was with Barbara, Margo, Emily, Dee Stewart, Karen Hanes, Lucinda Walsh, Audrey Coleman, Samantha Markham - none of them were, I'd say, the love of his life.....

During the run of the show the writers got REALLY ridiculous with the long-lost spawn of Stenbeck....revealing he'd had a child with Lucinda (off screen) before either of them ever appeared on the show....and then with Henry Coleman turning out to be a Stenbeck...James, at the time of his demise, had apparently fathered six children (including his miscarried child with Emily and deceased child with Lucinda) and was the most 'prolific' father in Oakdale history (well, tied with Harvey Snyder who had six children, but one adopted). I think the only thing more ridiculous than the amount of 'long-lost' children he had was the amount of times he returned from the dead and how they explained it each time....

He also had an affair with Connie Wilson, Hayley’s aunt back in 1981. I do think he truly loved Dee Stewart.

[tosh]

He really did loved Paul

[supersage]

He loved Paul, but he didn’t love any woman. I think he LOVED the idea of an heir in Paul more than actually loving Paul.

That said, I loved hating James.

[tosh]

The OP said anyone didn't specified female.James knew Paul weren't about that life so he really were looking for an heir

[WalnutGirl]

Sorry, I meant the women in his life. He did have a twisted love for Paul.

[Dari1987]

I'm 1 who did believe he did love, not IN love, but at 1x, he did love the fashionable diva herself in town, his beloved Barbara" but then, I am reminded by mommie, a psycho is incapable of true love, so maybe not, lol

[WalnutGirl]

Paul felt his dad snapped after finding out he was not really a Steinbeck, but how did James stay rich? I recall James's mom was a little cuckoo herself.