With Douglas sequestered in a Tuscan villa working on a film script with comedian Marty Cady and his wife, Alice is feeling increasingly isolated. Perhaps the key to her future lies with James, the charming young barman at her local pub. Or is she poised, finally, to discover what fate had in store for her all along?

Just as Alice's house-hunting woes seem behind her, with her own room in actress Fae Maddison's trendy London apartment, her new flatmate exhibits some less than endearing behaviour. A dinner with a troubled actor slated to appear in Douglas's new romantic comedy is a disaster, and has far-reaching consequences for Alice.

Alice has moved off Milly's sofa and into her own room in actress friend Fae Maddison's spacious apartment, but little else in her life looks like settling down. As she struggles with her conscience following her traumatic break-up with Douglas, she starts pondering the awful question - has she, in fact, made the wrong decision?

Alice can barely contain her excitement at the prospect of meeting one of her lifelong TV heroes - veteran comedy actor Gordon Bexter, who is about to direct a challenging new avant garde play at the Royal Court called Kiss of Death.

Alice seems to be comfortably bedding in with out-of-work writer Douglas McVitie, in every sense. But is she ready for the pair to share an answering machine message?

It is crunch time for Alice as she is forced to take stock of her finances and realises that the only route to survival is to rent out her Brighton flat and find cheaper accommodation in London. And accommodation does not come much cheaper than Milly's sofa.

Ever determined to assist Alice in her quest for true love, Cleo and Milly have decided to health-screen every available man in the store by checking through their confidential prescription records at the store's pharmacy. Meanwhile, Alice's hands are full with a new addition to the sales team, the likeable but wayward Antonia.

Alice finds herself literally swept off her feet by the suave and successful Matthew Chater, into a dizzying world of smart cars, up-market restaurants and swish parties. Meanwhile, Cleo and Milly go to war over a boy friend, a tee-shirt and a funeral service.

Caught up in a complicated web of romantic deceit, Alice's week ends with an unfortunate brush with the Metropolitan Police anti-terrorism unit. Meanwhile, Cleo stumbles upon a thrilling new prospect at the local rubbish tip, where exciting games of dominance and submission are the order of the day.

Alice's annual catch-up lunch with old school friend Mitch begins harmlessly enough, until the appearance of his besotted media studies pupil Cassie Davies sours proceedings. Meanwhile, Milly and Cleo dabble in speed dating.

Cleo's attempts to fix up her boss with some of her sales rep friends end in disaster, but a dashing young captain of industry gives hope.

Alice is summoned to a mysterious hotel room meeting with her predatory regional manager, Catherine Sumpter. Meanwhile, Cleo struggles to cope with a scathing review of her performance in bed, and Milly finds that she is strangely turned on by a man's shadow.