Chapter 12 'Nine' — Summary, Analysis, and Key Takeaways

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Otherwise, let's dive in.

(If you're looking for the overall book structure, the book hub has everything.)

Now, on to Chapter 12: Nine.

This chapter is a flashback that explains a lot about Adelaide's emotional state and relationship history.

It's a crucial piece of the puzzle for understanding her present-day behavior.

Let's break it down.

Summary

At twenty-two, Adelaide Williams works at the agency E&S. On the surface, she appears put-together—pressed shirtdresses, crisp business cards—but the strain shows in dark circles under her eyes, makeup-stained tissues in her pockets, and a Xanax bottle in her purse. Her account director, Sam, had earlier explained the agency's two rules: there is always more work, and there is always tomorrow. On this particular Thursday evening, Adelaide is tired and cranky, and she's dreading the date she's scheduled—her first real date in over six years, since her high school relationship with Emory Evans.

Adelaide had largely avoided men, sex, and alcohol through college, though she'd begun shedding her former good-girl persona, adopting a more edgy style. Her fear of men and sex had recently started giving way to curiosity. She tells her longtime friend Eloise she's considering a dating app; Eloise is skeptical but supportive. Adelaide downloads the app, matches with Tyler, an advertising professional from Park Slope, and agrees to drinks. She recruits Eloise and Eloise's boyfriend Nico to sit nearby as backup, planning to bail after thirty minutes if the date goes badly.

The date at Lucky Strike goes unexpectedly well. Tyler is tall, charming, and from Peachtree City, Georgia—not far from Adelaide's own hometown. His presence feels both familiar and foreign to her. Eloise texts encouragement. They move to a dive bar where Tyler's friend pours free bourbon shots, and Tyler asks to kiss her. Adelaide declines his offer to share a cab home, wanting to sleep well for work, but agrees to see him the next day.

The second date unfolds across the city: drinks at the Ship, cocktails at Mr. Purple, sandwiches at Katz's Delicatessen, and a cab ride back to Adelaide's apartment. For the first time, sex feels different to Adelaide—she's in control, and Tyler checks in with her throughout. The following day and a half are idyllic: bagels in bed, wandering the city, holding hands. Adelaide, who insists she doesn't want a boyfriend, finds herself falling for this stranger.

But when Tyler goes home on Sunday, he stops responding. He becomes the first in a pattern: Samson, Davy, Jess—a series of short flings that all end in ghosting. The sting eventually goes numb, and so does Adelaide. She stops giving her real name (going by Andy), stops sharing personal stories, stops asking about her partners' lives. She learns to leave before being left, slipping out in the night. She redraws her boundaries: no hand-holding, no cuddling, no pillow talk—just superficial dates and sex. This strategy works, until two years later, when she meets Rory Hughes again and suddenly craves commitment.

Key Events

Adelaide schedules her first date in over six years, with Tyler, met through a dating app
Eloise and Nico attend the date as backup at Lucky Strike
The date goes well; they kiss at a dive bar and Tyler asks to see her again
Their second date spans multiple Manhattan locations and ends at Adelaide's apartment
Adelaide experiences sex as consensual and controlled for the first time
Tyler ghosts her after promising to text when he gets home
Over two years, Adelaide cycles through short flings that all end in ghosting
She adopts self-protective strategies: fake name, no personal sharing, leaving first
She meets Rory Hughes again and suddenly wants commitment

Character Development

Adelaide undergoes a significant emotional arc in this chapter. She begins as someone terrified of men and sex, transformed from her high school self but still guarded. Tyler's brief romance opens her up—she feels giddy, shares details of her life, and believes she might be falling in love. His ghosting triggers a defensive shutdown: she numbs herself, stops sharing, and preemptively abandons others before they can abandon her. The chapter ends with her at a new threshold—meeting Rory again awakens a craving for commitment she'd suppressed.

Eloise functions as Adelaide's emotional anchor. She's skeptical of the dating app plan but shows up, texts encouragement during the date, and later comforts Adelaide through teary phone calls with promises of wine and ice cream. Her steady presence contrasts with the transient men in Adelaide's life.

Tyler is charming and attentive—he pulls out chairs, asks for consent, shares personal details—but his failure to follow through after promising to text reveals the pattern that will define Adelaide's next two years.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Ghosting and emotional numbness. Tyler's disappearance initiates a two-year cycle where every fling ends the same way. Adelaide's response—going numb, using a fake name, leaving first—shows how repeated abandonment can erode a person's willingness to be vulnerable.

Control. Adelaide reflects that sex felt different when she was in control, and Tyler's habit of checking in with her makes the experience positive. Later, her strategy of leaving before being left is another form of control—she'd rather be the one who disappears than be the one who's ghosted.

Self-protective boundaries. Adelaide redraws her boundaries after Tyler: no hand-holding, no cuddling, no pillow talk. These boundaries protect her from hurt but also prevent genuine connection, setting up the tension when she meets Rory.

Transformation. The chapter traces Adelaide's evolution from a fearful, good-girl college student to an edgier young woman, and then to someone emotionally armored. The final image—craving commitment like candy—signals another transformation on the horizon.

Friendship as support. Eloise's presence throughout—as backup on the date, as comfort after ghosting—shows that Adelaide's support system remains intact even as her romantic life falters.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is essential backstory that explains Adelaide's emotional state when she meets Rory Hughes. It establishes the pattern of ghosting and self-protection that defines her approach to relationships, and it shows why her sudden craving for commitment with Rory is both surprising and risky. The chapter also introduces key supporting characters—Eloise, Nico, Sam—and establishes the dating culture context (apps, ghosting, casual flings) that shapes Adelaide's world. Without this chapter, her behavior in the present-day narrative would lack crucial context.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Adelaide's experience with Tyler shape her approach to dating in the two years that follow?

Tyler's ghosting—after a promising start and a promise to text—teaches Adelaide that vulnerability leads to abandonment. She responds by numbing herself: using a fake name, withholding personal details, and leaving before she can be left. She also redraws her boundaries to exclude emotional intimacy (no hand-holding, cuddling, or pillow talk), reducing relationships to superficial encounters. This strategy protects her from being hurt again but also prevents her from forming genuine connections.

2. What role does control play in Adelaide's emotional journey in this chapter?

Control is central to Adelaide's experience. During sex with Tyler, she feels in control for the first time—he asks for consent and checks in with her—and this makes the experience positive. After Tyler ghosts her, she tries to reclaim control by becoming the one who leaves first, vanishing before her partners can disappear. This preemptive abandonment is a coping mechanism, but it also means she never gives anyone the chance to stay.

3. How does Eloise's friendship function as a counterpoint to Adelaide's romantic disappointments?

Eloise provides consistent, reliable support throughout the chapter. She's skeptical of the dating app plan but agrees to attend the date as backup, texts encouragement during it, and later comforts Adelaide through teary phone calls with promises of wine and ice cream. Her steady presence contrasts with the transient, unreliable men in Adelaide's life, showing that Adelaide has a stable support system even as her romantic life falters.