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I kept my eyes locked on the road I didn’t have to ask why funerals were hard for Ivy Ivy had been twenty-one e lost our parents Old enough to re to the funeral, too?" I asked Ada me how to drive He hurt when she hurt I had no idea if there was anything more than friendship between them, but it seehtly "It’s better that I sit this one out"

He didn’t elaborate I didn’t ask him to For twenty minutes, the two of us rode in silence, except for the occasional aduy and keep my eyes on the road As we pulled up to Ivy’s house, I started to feel the weight of the silence

"So what do you do when you’re not teaching rando, bad streets of DC?" I asked

I put the car in Park Adahtly as he replied "I work for the Departon, I flew for the Air Force"

"Why the Pentagon?" I asked

"That’s where I was assigned" Adam stiffened, the muscles in his neck the only noticeable tell His tone re with Ivy

Adaone froon

"Your father wanted you in DC?" It was a stab in the dark

"My father is very family oriented" Adam’s voice was co at attention, eyes forward, never flinching "He’s also very good at getting what he wants"

"So is Ivy" Those words slipped out before I’d thought theh "Not fa what she wants"

Adam was quiet for several seconds Finally he said, "Your sister is nothing likeup Ivy

"She would do anything for you," Adaaze Even blue eyes stared into ht?"

"Sure" That hat he wanted to hear

"She won’t ask you to go to the funeral with her" The set of Adaoing, and Bodie doesn’t do funerals He’ll drive her there, but that’s it" He let that sink in "It would o alone"

A lot to Adam, or a lot to Ivy?

"Your father stopped by earlier this week to talk to Ivy" I needed a subject change, and that did the trick Adahtly An instant later, he wiped all trace of emotion from his face: not a hint of a smile, not a hint of a frown

"You didn’t know," I realized I’d assumed that Ivy would have told hied to keep his voice level, but I caught the tension underneath He wanted me to tell him that the ansas no He wanted me kept away froht of Bodie catching sight of Willia me to stay in the car