One Wish In Manhattan (A Christmas Story) Read Online Free PDF

case. He wasn’t going to listen to some junior doctor tell him the pain and his collapse was due to something excited teenagers got at a Taylor Swift concert.
    ‘Mr Drummond, I can only imagine the sort of pressure you’re under at work. People in your position, under that amount of stress on a regular basis, you’re susceptible to all kinds of health issues that aren’t always immediately apparent.’
    She might be beautiful but he wasn’t going to let her tell him this was to do with panicking. He had never panicked in his life. He wasn’t even sure he knew how to do it.
    ‘You’re aware of my family history?’
    ‘Yes. I did a quick review of your file. Would you like me to …’
    He cut her off. ‘You’re sure it wasn’t a heart attack.’ It wasn’t a question so much as a statement.
    The doctor nodded. ‘Your blood pressure is slightly elevated but everything else is completely as it should be. For complete peace of mind my suggestion would be to—’
    He raised himself up off the bed, standing to his full six feet and picking his tie from the counter. ‘Thank you, but if I’m not dying today then I think we’re done here.’ He smiled at Doctor Khan, regaining his composure and control before dipping a hand into the pocket of his trousers.
    ‘My card,’ he said, offering it to her. ‘If you want to take me up on the dinner offer.’
    He could almost feel Clara raise her eyes to Heaven.

5
    Mancinis Restaurant, 10 th Avenue, Manhattan, USA

    W hen you’d had your life flash in front of your eyes everything was magnified. The times this had happened Oliver could only count on one hand, but he knew there would be more to come. It was as inevitable as Christmas and the start of a new year. But, for now, in this moment, there was simply clarity. It was a chance to take stock, to re-evaluate, every encounter enhanced.
    Oliver raised the delicate stemmed wineglass to his nose and savoured the aroma of the Merlot within. Oak, deep, dark berries, aged to perfection: the most expensive red wine they had on the list. He closed his eyes and put the rim of the glass to his mouth. He let the wine touch his lips first, before opening them up and allowing the liquid to reach his tongue. It was smooth, dense, like a velvet wrap had coiled itself around the flesh.
    He finally swallowed the wine and replaced the glass on the table, surveying the rest of the restaurant. It was full and from his vantage point he could see people being turned away at the front door. That’s what his status in the business community had bought him. A regular table at one of the most exclusive restaurants in the area from just a phone call, no matter how late. Except he was alone. He’d called Tony, asked if he wanted to continue where they’d left off the night before, but apparently his invitation wasn’t quite as tempting as a night with a Polish girl called Erica. He didn’t blame his friend. Hell, if Doctor Khan had taken him up on his dinner offer he wouldn’t have called Tony in the first place.
    Oliver looked out the window, half-hidden by the heavy, gold-flecked curtains and a string of expensive-looking Christmas bells. The snow was coming down faster now and, as the temperature dropped, it was starting to layer up on the sidewalk. A couple, wrapped up in scarves, hats and gloves came into view. The woman, dark hair flying out from under her hat, screamed as the man hit her with a snowball. Their forms bobbed and swayed in front of the red and green lights of a flashing Christmas tree on the adjacent building. Oliver watched the woman bend to the ground and start to gather as much powdery white stuff as she could scrape up to counter his attack. She threw, but her aim was off and the ball hit the windscreen of a parked car. Shrieking, as her partner chased her again, they ran off up the road. He was still watching the situation play out when he heard someone clear their throat.
    Oliver turned his attention back to the