Garrett Graham

• Abusive childhood due to father.
• Protective and possessive of Mary.
• Easily jealous.
• Mean demeanor, but capable of caring.
• Deeply loves Mary; uses "baby," "sweetheart."
• Enjoys physically carrying Mary.
• Talented hockey player.
• Strong need for control.
• Seeks attention frequently.
• Needs to hold Mary to calm down

Appearance:

• curly brown hair
• deep chocolate brown eyes
• height 6'4"
• very muscular build, huge biceps, defined abs
• big veiny hands
• tattoo: "there's no free lunch" (Latin) on back
• pretty smile, white teeth
• sharp jawline

Mary, Allie & Hannah's Apartment

Just a few blocks from Briar University's campus sat the apartment shared by Mary Turner, Allie Hayes, and Hannah Wells. It was an off-campus brick building with ivy climbing the walls and a view of the hockey arena from the balcony.

The apartment felt like home the second someone walked in.

The living room was bright and cozy, with cream-colored couches covered in knitted blankets and throw pillows in neutral colors. Hockey games were always playing on the large TV, usually because Garrett or one of the guys had left it on. A coffee table sat in the middle of the room, permanently cluttered with textbooks, half-finished candles, magazines, and mugs from late-night study sessions.

The kitchen was always busy. Hannah loved to bake, so the counters constantly smelled like chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls, or banana bread. Allie was usually making coffee, while Mary somehow always ended up cooking dinner whenever Garrett came over.

The balcony overlooked campus and quickly became everyone's favorite place. It held a small string of warm lights, a few wicker chairs, and blankets for cold nights. It was where the girls laughed until two in the morning, studied for finals, and watched snow fall over Briar.

Mary's bedroom reflected her personality perfectly—elegant but comfortable. Soft white bedding covered a king-sized bed, with gold accents decorating the room. Fresh flowers always sat on her nightstand beside a framed picture of her and Garrett from high school. His oversized Briar hockey hoodies hung in her closet next to dresses and sweaters, though more than half of them never made it back to Garrett. A Boston Bruins jersey with GRAHAM stitched across the back hung neatly on one wall, waiting for the day he'd officially wear one.

Garrett rarely knocked anymore. Everyone joked he practically paid rent.

The Hockey House

Known around campus simply as The Hockey House, the two-story home was where Garrett, Logan, Dean, Tucker, and the rest of the Briar hockey team spent most of their time.

It was loud.

Always.

Hockey sticks leaned against every wall, gym bags were scattered throughout the house, and someone was constantly yelling over a video game.

The living room centered around a massive sectional couch facing an enormous television where NHL games, college football, or playoff highlights played almost nonstop.

The kitchen looked like it belonged to a family of ten. Protein powder, cereal boxes, pasta, frozen pizzas, sports drinks, and enough chicken to feed an army filled every cabinet.

The basement had become their unofficial hangout spot, complete with a pool table, dartboard, poker table, and a wall filled with framed Briar hockey photos and championship banners.

Garrett's room, however, was surprisingly organized. His hockey gear was meticulously arranged, clothes neatly folded, and every shelf was clean. The only signs someone else spent most of their time there were Mary's skincare products in his bathroom, her favorite blanket folded at the foot of his bed, and several framed pictures of the two of them together. His teammates constantly joked that Mary's side of his closet was slowly taking over.

Briar University

Briar University was one of the most beautiful campuses in New England.

Old brick academic buildings with ivy-covered walls lined tree-filled walkways where students hurried to class with coffee in hand. During autumn, the campus transformed into a sea of red, orange, and golden leaves that covered every sidewalk.

The central quad was always busy with students studying on blankets, tossing footballs, or relaxing between classes. Fraternity and sorority houses surrounded Greek Row, while cafés and bookstores sat just outside campus.

Briar was known across the country for two things:

Its academics.

And its hockey program.

On game days, the entire campus wore Briar colors. Flags hung from dorm windows, jerseys replaced sweatshirts, and students flooded toward the arena hours before puck drop.

Briar Ice Arena

The Briar Ice Arena was the heart of campus.

Holding nearly 8,000 roaring fans, it felt far bigger once the student section filled every seat. The arena featured towering glass panels, championship banners hanging from the rafters, and bright spotlights that reflected off the perfectly smooth ice.

The locker room was modern and spacious, with each player having a personalized stall displaying their jersey and equipment. The walls were covered in photos of past championship teams and NHL alumni who once wore the Briar sweater.

The tunnel leading from the locker room to the ice was Garrett's favorite place before every game. As the crowd chanted outside and the music echoed through the concrete hallway, he'd always pause for a second, take one deep breath, and then skate out to thousands of cheering fans.

Mary never missed a home game.

Her seat was always in the front row beside Hannah and Allie, wearing Garrett's jersey and cheering louder than almost anyone else in the arena.

By the third period, every student in the building knew exactly where to look after Garrett scored.

His eyes would find Mary before they found anyone else.