Chapter 12 Summary

David catches a glimpse of the two girls out the window while he is writing, but he is too absorbed to notice. He finishes the short story, which he knows is good, and he longs for a beer. David feels sick when he imagines Catherine and the girl in the car going to Nice, as he and Catherine did just days ago. To distract himself, he decides to write another story, the hardest story. He writes a few simple sentences and then thinks all he has to do is go on.

Afterwards David sits on the terrace with a whiskey and Perrier. The girls join him, looking flushed and happy. They discuss David's book, which the girl has read and Catherine has not. Catherine confesses that she tried having sex with a woman. At Catherine's urging, David kisses the girl as well. Catherine...