Harry Styles is spending the summer in a quiet villa on the French Riviera, hoping to find inspiration for his third album. It's not happening. When he sees a beautiful windsurfer racing across the waves, he believes lessons might be a good distract...
They brought Fred with them, and the Three Musketeers became four. Lia couldn't imagine how cramped the guest cottage must be with over twenty four feet and one thousand pounds of man in it, but no one staying there seemed to mind.
Lia and Mary seemed destined to be friends, given their previously normal lives and professions, and their attachment to men who had shared so many experiences. After dinner, while the guys went to check out the recording studio, they compared stories.
Mary was an American nurse; she had participated in an exchange program between her own hospital and the hospital in Mulingar, Ireland, Niall's hometown. Meeting by chance in a pub when he was home visiting his family, it had been a bit of love at first pint. They had been traveling and living together for a few months.
"It's a learning process. Getting used to Fred and Michael, that's our other guy, always being around was tough. Having to think before you go to the store, or say certain things to people, even family and friends, is frustrating. My brother Andy is tired of people asking him ridiculous questions about Niall. And the traveling can be exhausting. Will you be moving around a lot with Harry?"
"No, not at all." Lia saw confusion in Mary's eyes. "I'll go back to teaching in Paris and Harry will go on being Harry after August."
Mary still looked confused. "Oh, I thought you two were... together. That's a unique arrangement. Won't it be hard to leave him? For him to leave you?"
"From the start this was a summer thing. He says I'm his muse, and he needs me to inspire him while he writes. It's romantic, but finite. He won't need me anymore when he's finished."
"Lia, I don't believe that for one minute, but I suppose you two know yourselves best."
Lia suddenly wanted very much to change the subject.
"Come into my room and see the jumpsuit I'm making Harry."
*****
The next morning the two couples and all four guards went to the Ramatuelle market. Mary and Niall rode with Fred and Jimmy, while Lia and Harry had Ed and Nigel with them. Again they went early, and Harry convinced Louise that she didn't need to accompany them. They would be well protected and well behaved, and if they were photographed together it would be excellent press. The world desperately wanted to know that the boys from the band were still friends.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
An artisan from Cogolin, a town not far away and famous for its hand carved pipes, had set up shop that morning. Niall and Harry, having decided on the spot that pipe smoking was very chic, spent nearly half an hour discussing the finer points of every model. Mary and Lia made the rounds, buying treats here and there.
They came back full circle to meet at the pipe vendor just as Harry and Niall, making their purchases, were recognized. The small crowd was hopeful for photos and autographs, and the men obliged. Standing back from the excitement, it took several minutes before Mary and Lia were seen.
