His smile is nothing short of disgusting. It’s the kind of leer they’d use in a sexual-harassment training video. Even Karen looks offended, and that never happens.

Liam doesn’t get the message. The fact that he’s completely misread the entire exchange is confirmed when he puts his hand on the small of my back.

I’m about to reach for him again when I feel someone else do it.

“Hey,” Liam says reflexively.

“I’m sorry. Did my removing your hand from the lady’s ass startle you?”

My knight in shining armor is Gabriel, my boyfriend of the last six months. This is the second go-around for us. The first was years ago and lasted only a few dates because I was too impressed by fancy pedigrees in those days to think I could get serious with a New York cop when all my friends were marrying lawyers and bankers. Then he was put in charge of my sister’s case and . . . well, the rest is history.

This is the first time he’s come to Lava. I’d been resisting inviting him because no one who knows Ella Broden has ever heard Cassidy sing, and I wanted to keep it that way. I finally relented when he reminded me that even Batman let Alfred and Robin know his secret identity.

Even without Liam knowing that Gabriel’s a cop, the look in his eyes clearly tells him that he would be wise to back down.

“I gotta go set up,” Liam says, retreating to the stage like a frightened puppy.

When he’s gone, Gabriel says, “You were wonderful.” He kisses me on the lips.

“Karen, this is my boyfriend, Gabriel Velasquez.”

Karen looks Gabriel up and down, the way she often does with me. I had previously been near certain that Karen was a lesbian, but by the look on her face after scanning Gabriel’s body, I realize I can’t rule out that she’s bisexual.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Gabriel says.

“Well, I hope I don’t get . . . Cassidy into trouble by saying this, but she hasn’t breathed a word about having a boyfriend.”

“That’s Cassidy. She’s a very private person.”

Karen looks up at the stage. Liam is chewing out his drummer about something.

“I think I better go deal with them.” Karen turns and kisses me on both cheeks. “Again, awesome job tonight.” She gives Gabriel the same pair of kisses. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Gabriel holds his tongue until Karen is on the stage dealing with Rescue Dogs, and then he says, “Wow!”

“No, really. What did you think? The truth.”

“You can’t handle the truth,” he says in a god-awful Jack Nicholson impression.