Read Online Unmasked (New Adult Romance) (The Unmasked Series) by Anya Karin - Free Book Online Page A

one for dessert. Ehh, better not. Face the morning and all that. And
anyway, this one might actually be good news." He tore open the second
envelope, opened the paper and quickly scanned for the words "loan approved."
He didn't find them.
    Ryan sighed, dropped the eighth car loan rejection
notice he'd gotten in three months from eight different banks on the table and
grabbed the other envelope as he stretched out and pushed his boots off with
his feet.
    "Ha! Two letters from two different banks arrive
on the same Saturday. Must be magic." When he stuck his finger inside the
envelope and started to rip it, he was interrupted by the phone. It took a
minute for him to realize that's what it was. It had been awhile since he had a
phone call.
    "Hel-hello?"
    Through the receiver he heard clanging noises,
like a door shutting, and then a cabinet, or possibly a desk drawer. Whatever
it was sounded like wood-on-wood. "Hello?"
    "Ah, is this Mr. Ryan Barton?" The man on the
other end had an old voice with a little rattle hanging off the end.
    "Speaking. Who is this? Mr. Webb?" It didn't sound
anything like the young man's voice, but that was the only guess he had. "This
isn't the bank, is it?"
    "No. And you were partially right. This is Preston
Webb's assistant, Gadsen Cartwright. How do you do?"
    "I'm doing well. How are you, Mr. Cartwright? I
wasn't expecting to hear back from you guys so soon. Usually there're a few
days between assignments. Happy to help however I can though, if that's what
this is about."
    "Assignments? Oh, no, not right now. It's actually
about your daughter."
    "My...which one? Lori?"
    His heart skipped a beat. He dropped his two
younger off at a friend's house early that morning for a day full of screaming
and throwing things at each other in the woods, or, as some parents call it, a
birthday party. But there's not much way that Preston Webb's assistant could
know about that.
    "No, not her." Ryan heard a piece of paper ruffling.
"No, Alyssa. You have a daughter called Alyssa, correct?"
    "Yes, but, I'm sorry Mr. Cartwright, what's this
about again? No one knows that my daughter is back in town."
    "I believe you mentioned it to Mr. Webb in a
letter?"
    "Oh, yes, of course." He thumped his forehead with
the heel of his hand. "Of course, I'm sorry. But for the life of me I can't
figure out what you'd need her for. She's just in town for a few months to help
out-"
    "Yes, nothing about that. As it happens, Mr. Webb
has carried something of a torch for her. I'm not sure of the particulars, but
he'd like to meet her."
    Ryan Barton gulped.
    "Uh, are you sure? I mean, why?"
    "That is beyond me, I'm afraid. Beyond my pay
grade, as they say."
    "Right, right." Ryan chuckled nervously. "Well, I
mean sure. I'll have to ask her, but I don't see why not."
    "There's no time to ask her. We'll be around at
approximately eight tonight. Please be there. And make the same arrangements
you make when Mr. Webb comes to speak to you on business. She won't be permitted
to look at him, of course."
    "O – Okay, whatever you say. Are you sure I can't
ask her first? I feel kinda like I'm forcing her to go on a blind date."
    "I'm not exactly asking, Mr. Barton. Although,
might I suggest she temper her expectations?"
    "How do you mean? What expectations?"
    "You know. A pretty young girl, asked to meet the
heir to a sizeable oil empire, and all. It can get away from a person. He is a
fragile man. Sickly, I mean. And emotionally, he's got a number of hang-ups. I
shouldn't be telling you this."
    "Well, if he's trying to court my daughter, I
think you ought to be."
    "I don't know if I'd call it courting, exactly.
He's just curious, I believe. Anyway," Gadsen sniffed and the paper from
earlier audibly crinkled again. "That will be all. I shouldn't say anything
more. Thank you for agreeing to this. It seems very important to Preston for
some reason. We'll see you this evening."
    "Right. Of course, anything to help. Bye, then."
Ryan Barton hung up and