Garret closed the door behind him instead of doing what he was told. “Just here for a little chat.”
Grayson’s body was angled in front of mine, fists balled by his side. “If you don’t turn around and leave, I’ll call the police.”
It was late morning, and Sweet Dreams was mostly empty. But the lunch rush was only around the corner, and I wanted Garret gone before the café got crowded.
“What would they arrest me for?” Garret frowned, not understanding he was doing anything wrong as usual.
“Rayna has a restraining order against you. Something you’re well aware of.”
He shrugged, looking unconcerned. “You wouldn’t call the police on me, would you, Rayna? Because then I’d be forced to go to Willa instead.”
I leaned around Grayson, the anger simmering in my veins like boiling lava. “You don’t deserve her loyalty or her love. And, unfortunately for you, she now has Jameson. So good luck getting to her.”
“Why don’t you get me a coffee and pastry while you decide if you want to help me or not?” Garret asked nonchalantly.
“Get out,” I ground out.
He ignored me and took a seat instead. “I need five grand.”
My eyes bugged out of my head at the number. “Even if I had the money, I wouldn’t give it to you.”
“That’s only the down payment. I’ll need more next week.”
He clearly thought that, as usual, I’d bend myself backward, trying to pay off his debt and keep him away from Willa.
The back door opened, and footsteps came closer. “Dad?” Willa said warily. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey, honey. I’m just catching up with Rayna.”
Willa regarded me curiously, knowing what I thought about Garret. “Really? I thought you said you had business out of town.”
“Change of plans.”
Probably because he ran out of money.
A police cruiser pulled up outside. “Finally,” Grayson muttered under his breath.
Officer Carter came sauntering into the bakery, not bothering to take off his sunglasses. “Willa. Of course you’d be here.”
Grayson stepped forward, clearly done with this whole scene. “She is not why I called you.”
Willa grinned at me, and I silently cheered Grayson on. I liked it when he took charge and protected my family.
Carter sighed, like we were keeping him from other important things. Like writing parking tickets. “Come on, then, Garret. You know you aren’t supposed to get this close to Rayna. Nothing I can do but take you to the station since she filed a restraining order.”
Willa gasped, and I chanced a glance at her. She looked confused and hurt. This definitely wasn’t the best way for her to find out. But now I had to fess up about what happened the last time I saw her dad.
Garret stood up, narrowing his eyes at me. “We’re not done yet.”
“Oh yes, we are. We were the moment you laid your hands on me.” And should have been years before then. I’d let this go on for too long, and that was on me.
Garret shot pleading eyes at Willa while Carter was cuffing him. “Honey, can you come to the station to post bail?”
“You hurt Rayna?” Willa’s voice came out in a whisper, and she was studying her dad like she’d never met him before.
“It was just a little misunderstanding. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Willa wrung her hands together. “She took out a restraining order against you. That’s not nothing.”
