Throw suspicion off of himself.

"Anyway..." Tony says, awkwardly clearling his throat. The entirety of the conversation so far has been odd, to say the least, and something tells him that it's probably not a great idea to keep drawing attention to it if he can help it. "...You said something earlier about a private show earlier, right, Zach?"

Zach gave him a smirk and punched his arm.

"That's the spirit!"

Melody frowns at Tony, adjusting her underwear slightly around her arousal. "He promised you that? You know how popular Maria is, right?"

"I technically didn't say anything definitive. But once you take a look at how fat his wallet is, I think Maria'll be begging him for some one on one time," Zach says, giving both of them a noncommittal shrug.

Tony resists the urge to glower at his best friend, but he has to admit that playing along might be for the best. At the very least it won't have them asking him any follow-up questions.

"I mean... yeah, I didn't really hold out hope, but after earlier I can't say I'd be opposed to it."

"She's not cheap either," Melody murmurs, fixing Tony with a skeptical look. "Remember what I said earlier?"

Before he can even protest, Zach is on Tony like a wolf on an injured deer. He reaches into his pants pockets, searching for his wallet; in one, then the other, before at last pulling out his prize. Wordlessly, Zach opens its folds, and flashes the bills at Melody. The stripper's eyes widen and she gives a shy smile as she turns to Tony.

"Don't think I could convince you to throw a few of those my way, could I?"

"Er..."

Glancing over at Zach, who's giving him a concerned glance, Tony shakes his head.

"Maybe not tonight. After all, if Maria's that expensive, I should probably keep as much as I can."

That, at least, causes Melody's expression to shift considerably. She snorts, nostrils flaring, and crosses her arms over her chest.

"She'll have gone back stage by now; I'll go see what I can do for you, Tony. She's a knockout but... don't let her rob you blind, alright? Don't let anyone here take advantage of you."

"Much obliged, m'lady," Zach says with an exaggerated bow, giving a thumbs up to their companion. "Guess we'll go get a drink out in the front in the mean time. Y'know, a little liquid courage for our pal here."

"...Especially not him," Melody says with a sigh, shaking her curls to and fro. Her eyes meet Tony's as she walks past, unstated sympathy filling her gaze as she starts making her way through the dispersing crowd around them.

"Lead the way, I guess," Tony says, motioning past Zach. "I could use something stiff right about now."

"Could you?" Zach cheekily looks at Tony. "Just wait a bit and you won't have to worry about that anymore."

Tony doesn't bother responding as they make their way through the labyrinthine floor space of the club. With all the knowledge of an expert guide, Zach weaves through the mass of people as they make their way towards the bar and its surly looking server. As they approach, Tony tries not to pay too much mind to the tree trunk-sized arms the short woman is sporting as his best friend flags her down.

"Hey Zoey, how're you doing tonight?"

Zach's already in the seat at the bar before Tony has a chance to ask about finding a table together.

"Well, well, look who the cat dragged in. Back again so soon, Zach?"

"Just helping a friend tonight, that's all. He got a new job and I figured I'd treat him."

'Yeah, with my money,' Tony thinks to himself, though deciding not to voice his complaint aloud. Money had always been a touchy subject with Zach given his family and, to his credit, before now he'd never asked to spend someone else's dime if he could help it.

"Lucky you," the bartender, Zoey, snorts as she gives Tony a once over. "What'll it be, hon?"

Pulling up alongside Zach, Tony gives her a helpless look.

"Don't really know any brands, honestly; haven't been at it long enough for that. Whatever your strongest whiskey is, I guess."

"The usual for you?" Zoey says, turning to Zach, who nods his head in response. Turning her back to them and getting to work, the two of them fall into an unusually awkward silence. Based on his posture, Tony wonders just what it is that's on Zach's mind as his friend looks at him, drumming his fingers against the glass counter.

"About earlier..." Zach begins, scratching a cheek. Tony immediately tenses at that. Whatever's going on, he'd rather find out sooner rather than later, and certainly not be put on the spot in public either.

"Yeah?" Tony says and stares straight ahead at Zoey's back.

"I know you and Mel kind of hit it off, but... well..."

"You don't want us getting too friendly, right?"

Zach doesn't bother turning to him and gives an audible sigh.

"Was it that obvious?"

"Even I picked up on it, so you sure as hell know it was."

Grimacing, Zach pauses, as if he wants to say something but only shakes his head.

"She seems nice."

"Not a great idea to fall in love with a stripper but here we are. She hasn't said to leave her alone - and if she did, I absolutely would - but I've tried to drop a few hints here and there but no dice."

"Maybe she only likes girls? She didn't sound happy that Maria told her to piss off."

"Would she have said you were her type if she was?"

"Uh, look at where she works, man. I'm just another john who walked in."

"...Fair point."

It's at that moment that Zoey comes back, dropping the amber liquid in front of Tony, and a bottle of beer in front of Zach.

"Don't take it too personally, Zach," Zoey says, giving Tony's friend a kind look. "I don't think I've seen her with anyone since the queen bitch told her no. She's got it bad for her, I'm afraid."

Zach just rubs his forehead with a free hand, bringing the bottle to his lips, taking a swig.

"Figures that'd be my luck."

The **** burns as Tony sips at the glass' contents. Zach had always been something of a hopeless romantic ever since they were kids. He'd do anything for the women he liked and it'd landed him in more trouble than Tony could care to count. Still, as he looked over in the flashing lights of the club, he had to admit that the fact his best friend had been wasting away countless nights trying to get someone also hurting made him feel sick (not withstanding the fact he hadn't had **** in a while).

"Hang in there, man. I'm sure she'll come around eventually and, when she does, you'll be there for her."

Zach shakes his head at him.

"I don't wanna be some cheap rebound and I sure as fuck don't want her to think I'm some kind of creep who's trying to take advantage of her when she's upset."

An uneasy silence falls over the two of them as Zoey takes the opportunity to move down the long counter to another customer who'd just approached.

"Coming here tonight was just an excuse to see Melody again, wasn't it?"

"..."

Zach simply continues to nurse his beer as he stays silent as a statue.

"Well, I'm not really sure I like being lied to, but at least the drink isn't too bad."

Putting down the bottle, Zach shakes his head.

"What were you gonna do instead? Just sit at home and pine over Katie some more? Either ask her out or move on, man."

To Tony's surprise, despite the cloudiness that the drink is beginning to cause him, he holds his tongue in regards to the barbed question.

"I don't really see how any of that matters."

"Have you two even kissed, at least?"

"No..." he says lamely, not bothering to look at Zach.

"If she hasn't made a move after all this time maybe she's just not into you."

'Or she's like me and doesn't have the guts.'

He's about to voice that very opinion when he hears a throat clearing behind them. Slamming the last bit of his drink, Tony turns around and sees Melody standing there, a pained expression on her face.

"Got some good news for you, Tony. Maria's... free tonight. She was also really interested when I, uh, quoted her some of the money you had. I low balled it, so don't freak out."

Perhaps it's the fact that he hadn't had anything to eat earlier that night before his whiskey, but Tony suddenly feels his stomach doing somersaults.

"When can she see me?"

"Well, if you'll follow me, she should be ready by the time we reach the booth."