Car salesman Marty's life is in a mess with children who disobey him and a wife, Katrina, who lives beyond their means. On a final warning for poor sales and time-keeping he oversleeps but tells boss Mike he cannot come in because Katrina has died. Flowers and cards arrive from work-mates which he explains to Katrina is a hoax and more lies are needed when sympathetic colleague Grace takes more than a friendly interest in him. Eventually another staff member Kathy discovers the truth and forces him to confess. Meanwhile Mike's secretary Beth is troubled by anonymous ...

Receptionists Viv and Tracy tell everybody that they are off to Ibiza on holiday when their actual destination is the Dominican Republic. In exchange for their free vacation they must act as drug mules for Tracy's boyfriend Jimmy but Viv is arrested at customs and Tracy returns home alone, claiming that her friend is ill. When Viv's parents discover the truth about her situation Tracy claims innocence but ultimately confesses all to her family. As a result she is able to incriminate Jimmy and give her drugs money to Viv's parents to help her case. Beth meanwhile ...

Bored by her comfortable but safe marriage Kathy begins an affair, based totally on sex, with estate agent Niall ,who is also married. They agree to meet in one of the properties on his books, from which they witness a violent attack on the man next door. Kathy photographs the thugs and suggests calling the police but Niall, afraid that it will expose the affair, dissuades her. At the wedding of colleagues Emma and Jez Kathy catches Mike in a compromising position with Beth but when he tells her his marriage is on the rocks she empathizes and keeps his secret. ...

After rowing with his wife young mechanic Rick ends up sleeping at the show-room so Mike takes pity on him and lets him stay at his house. Rick unfortunately finds it hard to resist the attentions of his host's precocious 15 year old daughter Ruby and soon they are having sex. However, whilst Ruby believes it is true love Rick is aware of the unreality and danger of the situation. When Ruby has an accident Mike is with Beth and confides in Rick the fact that his own marriage is going downhill, his wife Alison becoming suspicious. Rick moves out but his effort to find ...

Salesmen Pete and Jason are attacked by two thugs who steal the cars they are test driving. However it transpires that Pete, an ex-gambler with huge debts and a baby on the way, allowed it to happen in return for payment - some of which goes to Marie, the woman who bore him a son, a son of which his wife Vanessa knows nothing. Jason has his own problems, being the victim of his girlfriend's domestic violence but ultimately he discovers the truth from Pete, who has returned to gambling and lost heavily. Finally Pete decides to tell Vanessa all about Marie and break her...

Beth is planning to move in with Mike, who is leaving Alison for her, so she is knocked sideways to learn that Dave is alive and working as a fruit picker in Kent so she goes to find him. She is understandably irate at his desertion of his family for all his claim that, after a breakdown, he felt unable to cope and believed the family would be better off without him, and she does not share his mother Gina's delight at his return. Dave tells Beth that he knows of her affair with Mike and threatens to walk out again but in the mean time Jack, Mike's father-in-law and ...