Piece by Piece

7. He collected me

 Emily pov
Because you deserve everything in life Jamison said and I looked him in the eyes his words reminded me of my mother's letter you are a strong and smart young woman and one day you will have everything you deserve in life, okay I said reluctantly
good now let's go get Toby I followed Jamieson up the stairs Toby was in the guest room watching TV
Hey baby boy I said
Hey, guys, Toby replied with hurt in his voice
Bud cheer up we got good news Jamie said
Yeah we do I spoke with excitement
Well tell me already Toby said impatiently
We not going back to Georgia I simply stated
Really Toby questioned
yeah y'all are going to be living with me Jamie answered
you're serious because if you're joking that's not cool Toby responded
no not joking so get up and get your things I don't know about y'all but I think we've been here too long I spoke ready to leave with that he jumped out of bed and grab some bags along with Jamie and I it took all of ten minutes to get our things in the car Toby in the car Jamie and I'm following them I don't mind riding alone I needed time to think Jamieson he's just helping out because me and Toby been through so much and it's obvious he see how much Toby benefits from having him around but what he said about me deserving everything in life made me think he had other reasons for offering to take in me and Toby that can't be don't get me wrong Jamie is a great guy and anyone including myself would be lucky to have him as their significant other but with that being said why would he choose me why would he even want me especially when my own father doesn't even though I'm aware of the facts I can't help but feel more towards Jamie but that isn't priority I need to figure it out a source of income I can't just rely on Jamie for everything my mom taught me to not be dependent a man for money and material things Jamie stayed more than 30 minutes from his mom and Jack as we pulled in the parking lot of a condo complex  Jamie and Toby came to the car as I'm getting out aye em we will get the things in the morning I want to show you guys my place okay everybody walked inside the building and onto the elevator game hit 5 for the fifth floor we stayed in an awkward silence until we got to his condo it was beautiful
your place is amazing how do you afford it I wondered
oh I'm a photographer he said trying to hide his embarrassment it pays well he finished I just nodded in understanding that's cool and all but do I get my own room Toby asked not caring about the previous conversation
Well I have a bedroom and a game room the game room as a twin size bed in it so you can have that room if you want
dude, you're like so freaking cool
not to rain on your parade but where am I sleeping I asked needing to know
well since Toby got the game room I guess that makes you roommates with your stepbrother I stared at him blankly not finding his joke funny if we shared a room that would also mean sharing a bed
you can sleep on the bed I'll sleep on a pull out couch it's really comfortable wait he was serious about sharing a room and why would he have a pull out bed in his bedroom especially if he lives alone Jamie showed Toby and I the whole place I couldn't put him out of his bed even though he afford it to me
Jamie, I'll sleep on the pull out you can sleep in your bed
Emily, you're sleeping on the bed
what if I say no
Then where are you going to sleep  because it won't be the pull-out
and why not
because you don't need to
but neither do you
Emily, I have slept on this thing for so long I wouldn't feel right not sleeping on it
With that I let it go, Jamie, can I ask you something
Sure
why do you have a pull out in your room it was where I slept well Valerie was here huh
Oh Valerie my girlfriend I would get out of bed when she fell asleep I would sleep on the pullout and I would get back in the bed with her before she woke up
would
well yeah would because I ended things with her which is why she isn't here
okay goodnight
goodnight Emily

Monday Morning

Emily stone wake up Jamie yells and I roll out of bed onto the floor due to the fact he scared me shitless I groan as I get up from the floor I look at the clock to see it's after six
Jamieson McCarthy what could you possibly want at 6:30 in the morning
-well I was getting ready for work and my boss calls he informs me the female model for a spread I'm supposed to put together is no longer available so he needs to find to take her place I told him I would call the local model agency he told me since they are professionals we have to not only pay the model but the agency as well which usually isn't an issue however since he paid the previous models' company we don't have it in the budget of my project to pay a professional model
okay I'm sorry but why did you wake me up
Is it not obvious I need you to be the model it just a couple of possess nothing to crazy
What Jamieson are you insane you could walk down the street and easily find a girl more qualified
-What do you mean by more qualified
Well pretty for one someone that is photogenic too I guess
-Emily are you blind or just mental you are absolutely drop dead gorgeous as he spoke there was nothing but seriousness in his voice his words made me blush and I couldn't control it
Well what about Toby
-It's only going to be three to four hours he is old enough to stay here by his self but my friend Kyle comes over here on his days off so ill text he to see if can come over early I'll leave a note for Toby so when he wakes up he won't be confused I nod my head so what do you say miss stone well you be my model he asks
Well when you put it that way I don't have a choice
-No choice at all now hurry up just throw something on we got to be there at by 7:30 for you to get dolled up

we arrive at a large building called PICTURE at 7:20 Jamie introduced me to the lady at the front desk as the replacement model for his lady in red photo shoot Jamie soon disappeared after the lady at the desk gave me a small folder and told me where to go

 I entered a big room with a few people working on different things a lady came and asked me if I the replacement model I slowly shook my head she looked me up and down and mumbled something along the lines of Jamie is losing his eye for beauty with this girl I stayed quiet through I know I'm not anything special in the beauty department, however, I'm not ugly simply average and I'm okay with that the lady takes me to a vanity and I sat in its chair she asked for the folder and I hand it to her she looks over it and rolls her eyes she sits it on the vanity and walks away I open the folder and see a picture of a red dress and there are a few more papers one of them has information about the person that's doing my hair and makeup her name is Lydia and I can't help but pray that's not the same female that was just here moments later the girl came back with a black girl beside her "ok this is Lydia she will be doing your hair and makeup ill go get the dress and bring it back "--"ok thanks, Valerie" Lydia says Valerie Valerie as in Jamieson's ex i think to myself ill have to ask him bout that later Lydia comes and stand directly behind me and lets out a sigh "what's your name"-- "me I'm Emily"--" okay Emily we have a little bit of a problem the model I worked with her before so I knew how I was going to do her makeup to compliment the red but y'all completely different not even close to the same complexion she's kind of pale compared to you i guess so what color do you usually wear"--"I don't wear makeup"-- "really ever"--"never ever" i replied smiling because I found her reaction to my reply funny Lydia looks at me the the vanity's' mirror for a bit until her eyes grow big and her mouth forms an O shape "i got it" she practically screams "I'll do natural makeup eye liner mascara blush with bright red lipstick and i can leave your out but ill make it wavy oh my gosh I'm a genius" i was laughing at her excitement she started my makeup first after a while she starts my hair now that I'm facing the vanity instead of her i can see the mirror and my face isn't much different however i can tell i have makeup on its not just caked on my face which i appreciate Valerie comes back just as Lydia finishes my hair she hands me the dress and tells me where to change the dress is nice and elegant probably cost more money than i have to my name I'm dressed and go back to the vanity i see Valerie and Jamieson " damn baby girl you look amazing" he states when he sees me "baby girl" both Valerie and i shout in confusion "the fuck you man baby girl who is this bitch" Valerie asks with anger laced in her voice "Valerie i owe you nothing we are no longer together now it would do you some good to remember that as well as your place"-- "Jamie don't be like that you can't just throw our relationship away after this long especially for some ugly wanna be" i stay silent through their conversation her insults hurt and i know i don't compare to Valerie she is very pretty but her personality is not i guess that's what Jamieson like since they were together even though he is my step brother he is the only male to even help me, provide and care for me my mom taught me to not need a man but it was still nice to have one willing to step up i think that's why i feel so much towards Jamie but after meeting Valerie i know he would never feel for me what i feel for him I'm not his type Valerie and i are total opposites I'm pulled out of my thoughts by a shouting Jamie "DON'T EVER INSULT EMILY SHE IS FAR FROM UGLY AND OVERALL MORE OF A WOMAN THAN YOU WILL EVER BE and just so you know if we were still together it would be because of her EMILY STONE THAT I WOULD LEAVE WITHOUT ANY HESITATION" i gasp at his words that is a complete contradiction to everything i just thought about him Valerie just stands there with her lips parted Jamie turns to me and tells me to follow him i do without saying a word

i follow Jamie into another room that had a couch in it with cameras around it "i want you to sit down on the couch im going to take the pictures Cole here is going to move you a round a bit so i get you in different positions" when he said Cole a guy came over to us from where the cameras where set-up "hi im Emily"--"nice to meet you Emily" and with that my ever first photo shoot begins....