No.30
Ryan answers the door to Helen. Dorothy is wearing a facepack and rollers(!) Helen invites her to an exhibition tonight, but unfortunately Dorothy has other plans. Helen looks interested and Dorothy is forced to admit that she is having dinner with a man! Ryan laughs and Dorothy sends him to the shop to get milk! When Ryan has gone, Dorothy tells Helen confidentially about the dating agency she's enrolled with. Helen tries not to laugh.

No.22
Christina is going to the cinema tonight. Caroline tells Christina awkwardly that she's going to dinner with Jim.

CHRISTINA:(alarmed) You're not on with him again, are you?!
CAROLINE: It's just a meal, Chris.

Christina thinks she's just trying to get back at Adam over their fight last night, but Caroline says that it was arranged before the fight.

CHRISTINA: I'm confused, I thought you were totally wrapped in Adam.
CAROLINE: Yeah. Sometimes.

She doesn't think Adam takes her career seriously and they don't seem to like each other's friends.

Just then, Matt pops around to see Christina. He tells her about Melanie's reluctance to go into her flat the evening before. He asks Christina to talk to her and see if she can find out what's going on.

Coffee Shop
Gemma sees Melanie who is looking a bit down. Gemma asks about Melanie's kitten and Melanie tells her sadly that he ran away. Gemma gently asks Melanie if there's anything wrong. She's about to say something when Doug comes in. He and Gemma tells Melanie that she has to have a house-warming but she says her flat is too small.

Restaurant
Dorothy's date is rather late, but eventually he arrives - his name is Maurice. They chat about their lives and she tells him she has no ex-husband or children. Maurice has been overseas a lot too as he's an antiques' dealer. Dorothy tells him she's very interested in antiques too, so it seems they have quite a bit in common.

No.22
Adam comes around the see Caroline and to give her a plastic heart. He says that it's his broken heart after their argument last night. Caroline laughs and agrees to forgive him. They kiss and Adam gives her a small posy of flowers. But she's going out tonight. Adam thinks it's another business meeting, and she doesn't correct him.

(Later)

Jim has brought Caroline a large bunch of red roses which makes Adam's posy look rather poor and wilted by comparison! Christina heads off to the movies, leaving Caroline and Jim to chat. They chat about work a bit and Jim says he's got a job first thing tomorrow.

Restaurant
Dorothy and Maurice are getting on very well. Dorothy regaling the story of when she helped Joe to "exorcise" a curse! (back in ep 1184) They chat about travel and Maurice says he'd love to see some of her treasures. Dorothy suggests coffee at her house. Maurice thinks they have a lot in common. When Dorothy has gone to the ladies room, Maurice makes some notes in a notebook.

Jim's car
Jim and Caroline have arrived home. Jim suggests a coffee at his place, but Caroline doesn't think it's a very good idea. Jim assures her that he just wants to be friends and she agrees. As they go into the house, Adam is putting out the rubbish and sees them from a distance. He doesn't look very amused.

No.32
Matt and Gemma have been to see a band and have enjoyed being on their own for a change. The bell rings and Matt answers it - it's Melanie. He's surprised to see her so late. She reckons she's just popping in for a coffee but Matt tells her he knows she's avoiding her flat.

No.30
Ryan has waited up for Dorothy and she introduces him to Maurice. Dorothy drags Ryan off to the kitchen. While they're in the kitchen, Maurice looks around at some of Dorothy's artifacts and makes some notes in his notebook. When Dorothy comes back, Maurice explains that he's writing in his dating book - he keeps a record of all the women he meets. He meets so many, he needs to evaluate them! Dorothy is horrified when he goes on to explain that he marks each woman in categories out of 10 - intelligence, humour, interests, age! Dorothy asks with clenched teeth if she gets a written report. Maurice doesn't pick up on this and tells Dorothy that she's scored 89%(!)

MAURICE: Not a bad effort!

Melanie's flat
Matt and Gemma have come to Melanie's flat with her. She tells them to be very quiet and a drunk-sounding man is heard shouting. She hustles them inside while the man continues to shout - he's clearly shouting at Melanie. Matt tells Melanie that the place is a dump and she admits she's had to take it because she's taken a hit on her credit card. It was the money for her cruise ticket and all the clothes she had to buy - it added up to thousands and the interest is very high. The man is still shouting and banging on the wall.

MATT: You get some things together and we'll get the rest of it later.
MELANIE: I can't!
GEMMA: You're going to!
MATT: Listen, you can come and stay with me, at least until Joe and Toby get back, and then we can find you somewhere else to live.
MELANIE: Oh Matt, I don't want to be a hassle to anyone!
MATT: You'd rather stay here? Get packing.

No.22, the following morning
Christina asks Caroline how Jim compares to Adam on a scale of one to ten. Caroling gives Adam an nine - he's funny, impetuous in a nice way, but sometimes a bit immature. Also he's intelligent and sexy. She rates Jim as kind and thoughtful. He's more level-headed and makes her feel "womanly" But she's worried by the age gap. So both Adam and Jim end up as a score of nine!

Coffee Shop
Adam is sulking to Doug about seeing Caroline with Jim's arm around her and Doug advises him to get his facts straight before he says anything.

Melanie comes in.

MELANIE: (enthusiastically) Hello Mr Willis, hello Adan, isn't it a great day? I think it might rain later on but I feel fantastic! It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do for a person, isn't it?!
ADAM: Thanks for sharing that with us, Melanie(!)

Doug asks Melanie for the gossip on Caroline and Jim. Melanie says it's ancient history, although he and Caroline used to go out and Caroline was crushed when he went back to his wife. Adam looks downcast.

No.30
Ryan wants to know if Dorothy will be seeing Maurice again, but she tells him to mind his own business(!) Then Helen pops round and also wants to know! Dorothy finally cracks and tells them that it was an unusual evening and she "definitely scored"(!)

Coffee Shop
Adam tells Doug that he's really serious about Caroline. Doug suggests that he tells Caroline that(!)

Caroline comes in at that moment and Doug makes himself scarce.

CAROLINE: How's your heart?
ADAM: Could be better. Caroline, I know I'm a bit of a clown sometimes, but it doesn't mean I can't be serious, cos I am - about you. I feel there's something really powerful happening between us.
CAROLINE: Adam...
ADAM: Please. If I don't get this out in one go, I'm not going to get it out at all. Well the fact is, underneath this cool exterior lies a very jealous man. I know you've been seeing Jim Robinson. And I can't handle that. If you want me, you're going to have to drop him.