Book 3 || Taming Prince Charming || Harry Styles

Chapter 16

Her view.

"We're going to have so much fun." Tarquin grabs my hand as we walk to his car. "I can't wait for you to meet everyone."
"I don't know," I sigh and yawn. "I don't feel like anyone is going to like me."
"What are you talking about? Everyone is going to love you. Everyone wants to meet the girl who stole Harry's heart."
"Uh huh." I smile weakly. "I'm not sure I stole much of anything. And no one cared about me much last night."
"That's because they're older. They know how to hide it better." He laughs. "Trust me, they were interested on the inside."
"If you say so." I shrug, thinking about the previous evening.

After Harry and I made love in the bathroom, we went to the ballroom and danced and then I've been stuck with Tarquin for the rest of the night while he mingled. I felt so self-conscious that I didn't go out of my way to look at or talk to anyone.
"So," Tarquin changes the subject and opens the door to a cute small red fiat. "I've got to know. What made you go for Harry and not Louis?"
"What are you talking about?" I slide into the car and frown. "I didn't go for anyone."
"Well, Harry and Louis were both in the class, right? Just in different roles. And everyone knows Louis is much cooler and even more handsome than Harry. And, well, he's closer to your age. Not that I have a problem with your age, but I'm just so curious. How did you choose Harry over Lou?"
"I met Harry before class even started. I had—I mean, we had a connection before class even started. He didn't even know he was going to be my professor."
"Oh." Tarquin looks at me curiously. "I didn't know you both met before class started. Louis didn't tell me."
"You've spoken to Louis?"
"Of course, we're best friends." Tarquin grinned. "Did he not tell you? We grew up together. He wanted me to come to London as well, but I said no way. I felt bad when Aunt Anne made him go, but not bad enough to endure the pain and stress of more school."
"He seemed to be enjoying the class."
"I'm sure he was faking it for Harry. He didn't want Haz reporting back to Aunt Anne and getting him into more trouble."
"More trouble?"
"Louis' not the best student. He's not dumb, but we like to have fun."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that last term, while we were meant to be studying for finals, we were in Monte Carlo instead." He laughs. "And let's just say that he lost about a hundred grand playing craps."
"Wow."
"Yeah." Tarquin laughs. "Aunt Anne flipped a switch, is that how you Americans say it?"
"I guess so." I laugh.

"I'm so glad Harry let you come out with me today. After yesterday I thought he was going to be a punk."
"What do you mean?" I bite my lower lip, wondering exactly what Tarquin knows.
"Well, he was giving every guy that even looked at you death stares and then he said that no one should bother you and that you guys were going to go somewhere afterwards, but I guess you changed your mind. Why were you guys arguing, by the way?"
"You heard us arguing?" My face flushes as I think about our 'argument.'
"We all heard you guys shouting at each other and banging the wall. I nearly came in to save you."
"Oh, you did?" My heart stops as I think about Tarquin coming in.
"Yeah, but I decided it was better for me to leave well enough alone. I was glad to hear you telling Harry what you thought. Too many women just accept everything he has to say because he's Prince Harry, heir to the throne."
"I think they accept it for other reasons." I smile. "There is the fact that he's hot."
"Ugh, don't."

Tarquin makes a face as he pulls up to a park. "Louis and Harry got all the looks in the family. I got nothing."
"You're handsome as well." I look at Tarquin and search his face to see if he's upset.
"Eh, no, I'm not, not compared to them. But it's fine. They got the dark devilish hair and the tall and buff physiques. I'm blonder than blond and skinny like a matchstick. If I wasn't a lord, I'd have no women."
"You're not skinny like a matchstick." I stare at his pale white limbs and pause. "I mean you're not Arnold Schwarzenegger by any means, but you're not a twig."
"Are you talking to me, baby?" His face deepens as he tries to imitate Arnold. "I'll be baacccck."
"Uh, okay." I laugh as we get out of the car. "My best friend Anna loves blond guys, she'd love you."
"Where is this best friend you speak of?" He grin. "I need to meet this woman that loves blond guys."
"She's in London." I grin. "Waiting on me to come back home."
"Tell her to come over to Romeria," he says eagerly. "She can come with Louis. That way she can fly on the private jet and won't have to spend money on a ticket."
"She has class." I laugh. "And neither one of us has a hundred grand to spend gambling anywhere. We both need to go to class."

"What are you going to do?" He frowns as he stares at me.
"What am I going to do where?"
"Now that you're marrying Harry. Are you going to give up school?"
"Of course I'm not giving up school."
"How is that going to work then?"
"How is what going to work?" I scratch my head.
"When you're married, your place will be in Romeria, not in school."
"That's not something I'm worried about. We haven't set a date for the wedding."
"Oh, really?" He looks at me curiously. "Do you not know when you want to get married?"
"I haven't given it much thought."
"Maybe you should stick with someone your own age. Louis and I are just as eligible." He pauses and I freeze, wondering if he's coming on to me. "But I guess you have Harry, so you don't need us." He laughs.

"So who are we meeting?" I ask him casually, hoping to change the subject as he's making me feel uncomfortable.
"Just some of my friends and some of Louis' friends as well."
"Why do you keep mentioning Louis?" I frown as we walk into the gardens. "And do you guys normally hang out at the park?"
"No, we don't normally hang out at the park. Only when we want to enjoy the sunshine. And I didn't know that I was mentioning Louis a lot. Sorry."
"Nothing to apologize about." I follow him through the gate.
"Where did Harry go today?" Tarquin asks me as he waves to a group of people about ten yards away.
"I don't know. He was gone when I woke up."
"Oh, okay." He nods. "Let's go and have some fun."