Read Online The Traveling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones - Free Book Online

last a whole week in NYC. Very few people do.”
    “Oh.” I bite my lip. Then I see some men leering at a woman in hot pants. “What if she turns to prostitution?”
    “You’ve seen the state of her. Even punters have standards.”
    I sigh. “So what now?”
    “Go back to the hotel and wait for her. Her things are still in the room, right? She’ll have to go back for them.”
    “Actually, I asked everyone to check out before they left this morning, so we wouldn’t have any holdups leaving at noon.”
    “Then her luggage will be in storage.”
    “Unless she went straight there from Tiffany’s and nabbed it.”
    “Then you’d better get a move on!”
    “All right! I’m on my way. And Krista?”
    “Yes?”
    “Thank you for always being there for me.”
    “My god, you’ve
always
been there for me. It’s nice to be able to help you for a change.”
    I smile, put my phone away and then duck and dive through the crowds like an American footballer hurtling for the touch-down line.
    •   •   •
    Her bag is still here. That’s something. I fall into the nearest seat, waiting for my heaving chest to settle.
    Of course there’s no need for her to come back to collect it before our departure deadline. She could easily wait us out. Check-in at her next accommodation wouldn’t start until 3 P.M. Unless she’s just planning on sleeping under some railway bridge, of course.
    I get a swimmy-swampy feeling in my head. Could this trip be over before it’s begun? Will the blame for its failure fall at my feet? I can’t deny—I went too far, I let things get personal. My head falls into my hands.
    “Laurie!”
    “Gracie!” I jump up. “Where’s Pamela?”
    “Still with Charlie. They’re working on some kind of Velvet-Victoria hybrid.” She pulls a face. “It was all getting a bit technical for me, fractions of ounces, I thought I’d come up for a cup of tea. Care to join me?”
    “Er-um . . .”
    Gracie studies me. “Is something the matter?”
    “Well . . .” Dare I tell her?
    “Ravenna ditched you once she realized you didn’t have her mum’s credit card?”
    I blink back at her.
    “I thought she probably would.”
    I sigh. “I should have just taken it.”
    “What did she try to get you to buy?”
    “A thousand dollars’ worth of bracelet from Tiffany’s.”
    Gracie hoots. “Little minx. She was totally trying it on.”
    “Really? Because I might have slightly crossed the line in terms of what I said to her . . .”
    Gracie smiles broadly. “Got a bit of Supernanny in you, haven’t you?”
    “I’ve got a big mouth on this topic.”
    “Me too. For all the good it does.” She places a comforting arm around my shoulder. “Let’s see if a cup of tea can make everything better . . .”
    •   •   •
    So this is the plan: we say nothing. And if anything needs to be said, I let Gracie do the talking.
    Gracie is with Krista, in that she thinks Ravenna will turn up at the last minute.
    An hour ago, this reassured me. But, as of now, there are just ten last minutes to go. And still no sign.
    We’ve already loaded the car and lied to Pamela, telling her that Ravenna has just nipped to the hotel gift shop.
    “I think I might go and chivvy her up.” Pamela goes to turn back into the hotel.
    “No, no!” I protest. “Allow me.”
    “Why don’t you get comfortable in the car?” Gracie guides her to the Mercedes.
    I take one last look up and down Park Avenue.
    And that’s when I see her. Directly across the street from us.
Watching us.
    I daren’t blink for fear that she’ll disappear. She looks so fragile, so small in this land of giants. I take a step in her direction just as a sightseeing bus passes between us, and then she’s gone.
    Nooo! My shoulders slump.
    What did that mean? Was she just there to taunt me? Or see if we’d really call her bluff?
    “Ms. Davis?” A male voice calls to me.
    I turn back; it’s the doorman.
    “Mr. Romano has something