Favor

Chapter 31

"No, no, no, no," Ember groaned as she went through the pictures on her camera and laptop. She picked up her phone and made a call, "I can't do this!"

"What's going on?" Elliot asked chuckling.

"I can't stand these prototype practice photos," She groaned, "my eyes are so dead, there is no emotion in these photos whatsoever. They are crap!"

"Because you shut everything down, didn't you?" He asked and she stuck her tongue out even though she knew he couldn't see it. "You do this every single time Em. Every single time you shut down and just go through the motions, you hate the pictures."

"Shut up," She pouted. "Why do you always have to be right?"

"Because I am the best of course," Elliot chuckled. "You know what you have to do, don't you?"

"I don't wanna," She pouted. She stomped her feet, "I don't wanna."

"Girl, those hunks are not your fucking ex," Elliot laughed, "Just let them show you like they want in order to get the pictures and then go back to pushing them away."

"Ember," Sam's voice came across the phone.

"Yes?" She asked nervously.

"You know you can always go back to pretending," He offered.

"Pretending?" she asked and he chuckled.

"Yes. You can do your method acting like when you were acting and modeling. You would pretend to get through the photo shoots and acting shoots and then be done with it," Sam offered. "I know it wore you out but it won't hurt you to do it again for these practice shoots. Get them done, find out the information you need and then you will be done. You will know what you need for your clients."

"See, this is why you were my agent," She sighed. "You always knew what I needed to hear."

"I'll be more than glad to be your agent again whenever you want," he chuckled. "Just let me know and I'll get everything ready. Don't worry about it Em, it's just pretend for a few hours."

"Thanks Sammy and Elly," Ember sighed as she closed her eyes. "I really appreciate it."

"Anytime," They said in unison then hung up. She hung up her phone and sat it down on the desk. She pinched her nose and took a deep breath then slowly let it out.

Turning away from the desk so she could go get some water she froze. There in her room were all fourteen men with ranging looks on their faces. "Fucking hell," She sighed.

"Is there something you would like to say?" Owen asked.

"Um....We need to redo the shoots because the pictures didn't turn out well?" She asked nervously. "I'll let you show me your ideas this time?"

"Fine," He sighed, "You have one hour to prepare but we will continue this conversation afterwards."

"Okay," She nodded and they left the room. "Shit," She sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair. She took a deep breath then slowly let it out. "Alright, let's do this, Em. You can do this. It's just pretend." She turned on some Rammstein and sat Indian style on the floor and began meditating. Once she was in the right state of mind she got up and picked out the outfits she needed then fixed her make up. Taking another deep breath, she shook her hands then headed down to the living room, where they were waiting.

"Are you ready to do this again?" Victor asked and she nodded. "We will start off with the nonsexual ones then work our way up."

"Okay," She nodded and popped the cap off her camera. "I'm ready."