masquerade ≠ ethan dolan

four

Grayson doesn't really believe him, but since they're with friends, doesn't push. His brother is appreciative of that.

He tries to be more involved in the conversation over dinner, but doesn't succeed until after Clover leaves with her client. He does manage to enjoy himself, for a bit.

The second he's home that night he's in his room, ready to call Masquerade. Only, Grayson comes in first.

"Hey, bro," he nods, collapsing into a seat. "What's up with you lately? Is it everything with Brittany? You've been... distant."

Ethan had been distant. He wasn't trying to be, but even when with his loved ones, he was up in his head.

"No, I'm good, I swear," he nods, nudging Grayson when he rolls his eyes. "Really! I've just had a lot on my mind. You don't have to worry about me, man,"

He wasn't doing bad-he meant it. But there'd been a lot of late nights spend overthinking.

Thinking about Brittany, sometimes, or other girls he thought he liked in the past but things hadn't worked out for similar reasons. Or thinking about Alison, even though he knew he shouldn't be. He didn't even know her real name for Christ's sake.

But Ethan wasn't necessarily doing great either. Something felt like it was missing in his life.

That was ridiculous though-he was 22, he had a good group of people in his life, for the most part, and he was living his dream. What could he be missing?

"I'm just a little worried about you," Grayson sighs.

"I'm fine! If anything was wrong I'd tell you," he chuckles, messing up his brothers hair. "Now can I head to bed or what?"

"It's so early! You're boring lately," he snickers, walking toward the door. "Night, dude."

He waved, being plunged into the darkness as Grayson flicked the light switch. Ethan rolled his eyes and got up to turn it back on, picking up his phone to make the call.

Clover took off her heels with a content sigh as she walked through the office, feet aching. It was pretty busy at this hour, girls getting ready to be picked up by clients for nights out. She had an early night luckily, and was only about to order an Uber.

"Clover!" Evelyn called, speed-walking toward her. "Thank god you're still here. Up for another meeting tonight?"

She raised an eyebrow. "With who?"

"Grant. He's on hold right now, waiting for my answer," Evelyn says, motioning toward her phone in the office. "He said he can be here in ten."

"...yeah, I can meet him," Clover nods. After their run-in tonight she'd like to talk to him anyway. She'd been waiting for him to call.

"Great, I'll let him know." Her boss says, rushing to her office to get back to him. Clover begrudgingly slips her heels back on-she can deal with the pain to meet him. Evelyn comes back out. "Grant has asked if it's possible for you to give him a number he can contact you personally at. I told him that's up to you-I know it's rare. You haven't met with him many times yet..."

The girls all had work phones, so that regulars could ask them to meet if anything was urgent. Some would request meetings in the dead of night, but it wasn't common. Clover had only given the number out to a few clients.