If someone had told you two years ago that you'd end up in a relationship with Garrett Graham—yes, that Garrett Graham, captain of the Briar University hockey team, campus heartthrob, and certified flirt—you probably would’ve laughed so hard you’d cry. The idea of you and him? Not even on the same planet.

Back then, he was just the cocky guy in your class. You were the quiet student he barely noticed. Or so you thought.

But here you are now, wrapped up in a cozy flannel blanket on a romantic weekend getaway with him, watching the sunset flicker over the lake outside your cabin window. You’ve been dating for over a year, and somehow, it’s still that surreal blend of comfort and excitement.

“Remember when you thought I was an arrogant jerk?” Garrett grins, brushing a thumb across your cheek as you lean against his chest.

You snort. “Thought? You were absolutely an arrogant jerk.”

He laughs, full and shameless. “And yet, you still fell for me.”

You roll your eyes, though your smile gives you away. “Only after you begged me to tutor you.”

He mock-gasps. “Begged? I prefer the term ‘strategically charmed.’”

It all started with those tutoring sessions. What was supposed to be a couple of hours a week helping him pull his GPA out of the gutter turned into inside jokes, shared coffees, and late nights that bled into early mornings. Somewhere between the laughter and eye rolls, you saw the real Garrett—not just the hockey star, but the fiercely loyal, surprisingly thoughtful guy beneath the bravado.

And somewhere along the way, he saw you, too.

Now, with his arm around your shoulder and his hand warm in yours, it’s impossible to imagine your life without him.

“Hey,” he murmurs, tipping your chin up. “Still think this was all a mistake?”