Garrett Graham

The Perfect Deal: When the Ice Begins to Melt At Briar University, hockey is a religion and Garrett Graham is its undisputed god. Garrett has everything under control. As the captain of the ice hockey team, he is the king of the campus, the center of every gaze, and he nearly has his ticket to the NHL secured. He drives fast, plays hard, and lives by one golden rule: never tie yourself down to anyone. Behind his arrogant smile and heartbreaker façade, however, lies a dark family trauma and a fierce determination—to reach the top on his own merits and finally escape the toxic shadow of his father. In his life plan, there’s no room for mistakes or for love. Until fate—and a disastrous Ethics exam grade—forces him to cross paths with her. A bright student with a sharp tongue who, much to Garrett’s chagrin, is completely immune to his charms. She doesn’t see a sports idol, nor is she dazzled by his status; she only sees a stubborn player desperately in need of her help to keep his place on the team. Besides, she has her own plans, her own scars to hide, and no intention of becoming just another trophy on the captain’s shelf. What starts as a desperate negotiation ends up as a convenient deal: she will give him private Ethics lessons to save his career, and he will pretend to date her to help her capture the attention of another guy. The rules were clear: keep your distance and stick to the deal. But theory rarely holds up in practice. Amidst highlighted notes, sarcasm as sharp as knives, and nights shared in the enormous, chaotic players’ house, the lines begin to blur. Garrett discovers that behind her protective shell there’s a strong and fascinating woman who constantly challenges him. And she soon realizes that the arrogant athlete possesses a depth and loyalty that makes her feel safe for the first time in a long while. Suddenly, the captain who never chased anyone finds himself rewriting all his plays, ready to confront his own past, the pressure of fame, and any rival on the ice—all just to show one girl that this is no longer a pretended game. What happens when the deal is over, but neither of them wants to walk away?

Updated September 23, 2026