City high-flyer Tessa Piggott gives up on her job and men, and decides to start a new life. Then plumber Frank Carver arrives with plunger in hand, just to prove that life is never that simple.
Tess, Director of Third World development agency, S.E.E.D. is forced to rely on plumber-turned-entrepreneur, Frank, to solve her work problems out in the Gambia, while she unwittingly hleps him in one of his business enterprises - but she still rejects hi
Tessa is too busy working to pay any attention to her despondent suitor Frank, but he sees a chance to help her when she has an opportunity to get even with smooth talking MP Charles Tremain in a radio debate.
The death of a colleague cases Tessa to reassess her relationship with Frank.
Frank is finding it difficult to cope with the open relationship which Tessa has proposed, especially when he sees her surrounded by potential rivals at the development agency's fun run in Battersea Park.
While Tessa is away in Chad, Frank is busy buying a riverside wharf for development, though he does frind time for a one night stand, whereas Tessa, for her part, resists one.
Frank and Tessa become closer as they try to help Diane with her marriage and Jade with her love life.
Frank, Tessa and Jade have become a close family unit, but a visit from Frank's ex-wife and Jade's mother, Helen, puts a cat amongst the pigeons.
A wedding in Frank's family and a crisis in Tessa's makes her reconsider her commitment to Frank.
It's crisis point for Frank's business, for Tessa out in Africa, and for their relationship.
Six months after Tessa walked away from her lover Frank, the offer of a challenging new job at a charitable foundation proves an unexpected means for them to be together again - a strictly business relationship, of course.
Out in Russia, Tessa is charting Frank's progess with the first Baumblatt Foundation project with his attractive Russian colleague, Marisha.
Tessa wants to discuss their relationship, but Frank, for his part, is avoiding the issue.
A trip to Russia to check out a Baumblatt Foundation fast food project throws Frank and Tessa together in a way they could never have anticipated.
After the euphoria of Russia, Frank and Tessa return to England back to the realities of married life.
A Baumblatt Foundation trip to Bulgaria causes a seemingly irreparable rift between Frank and Tessa, whereas Diane's work for the Foundation proves unexpectedly romantic.
Frank and Tessa are planning for the future, Diane is organising Jonathan's Bar Mitzvah and Max is in deep trouble.
Russian oil causes trouble waters in Frank and Tessa's relationship.
Tessa's urgent visit to Moscow to rescue a Baumblatt Foundation projects turns out to be a mission to save children in need with Frank's help.
Frank and Tessa play parents when some Russian orphans come to stay on a farm in England as part of a Baumblatt Foundation project.
Happily ensconced in their new house in Chiswick, Frank and Tessa await the birth of their baby. Tessa is now in the final stages of pregnancy and confident that she will be able to combine her career with motherhood. Frank, however, is more sceptical.
Just as Frank had predicted, Tessa finds that after the birth of her baby, juggling a career and motherhood is not going to be easy.
The baby-sharing arrangement set up between Frank and Tessa seems to be working out. But all good things come to an end…
Frank arrives in Israel to negotiate a deal for the wine but he has a few surprises in store for him.
To Tessa's dismay, Frank's obsession with buying the vineyard is delaying their return to London and the penalty is paid by her.
Frank's preoccupation with the wine deal pushes him further apart from Tessa and this in turn strengthens her interest in the Ethiopian project.
Frank's inability to understand how important the Ethiopian project is for Tessa leads to a momentous decision.
Frank returns from Israel alone. With Tessa and Alice still not back, his daughter Jade comes to stay with him.
Tessa and Frank are forced to reconsider their future together as the wedge between them deepens.
With their differences seemingly irretrievable, Frank and Tessa make an important decision.