online and in magazines, and she’d even seen a few at those fancy resorts her parents had taken her to. She’d always been assigned to watch the table, usually pouring down sweat in an expensive dress or stifling outfit that met the approval of her parents and their friends, and she’d had a lot of time to people watch while everyone cooled off in the pool.
A big girl in a swimsuit might not be the norm, but the world didn’t end when a curvy stepped out in a bright, beautiful suit. In fact, all of the ladies she’d studied in the past were having fun just like everyone else—even when they would walk by some asshole like her dad, and catch his words of disapproval.
Stacey longed to have that kind of confidence—both in and out of a swimsuit—but it wasn’t easy to find after being raised to believe she didn’t deserve to love herself. However, she was trying, and though she didn’t know how to swim, one of her goals was to own one of those gorgeous swimsuits.
Wearing the thing, on the other hand, might take some time, but luckily, time wasn’t a problem. She didn’t have to conquer all of her new goals for herself on the same day, and she was smart enough to know that after a lifetime of being told otherwise, finding beauty within herself might take a while.
Or maybe just on some things.
She glanced down at the outfit she had on and smiled.
In the process of emptying her apartment in order to get on with her life, she had given away almost everything, and disposed of the rest in the nearest dumpster. Because of that, there were very few things she’d kept in the transition, including most of her clothes.
The day she’d tackled her closet had been an eyeopener, and she doubted she’d ever forget how standing in front of that nearly designer rack had made her feel. Especially since none of those clothes fit her. Not personally. She had work clothes, and party clothes, and lounge clothes, and all of them fit her physically, but none of them felt right. None of them matched her style—whatever that was—or made her feel good.
Sure, the items were expensive, but she hadn’t bought them because she’d wanted them. Not really. She’d bought them to try and get a step closer to perfection. A step closer to fitting in.
Of course, her parents had approved of the huge price-tags, but that never equated into their approval of her. Or of what she looked like dressed in the same labels they wore.
She’d kept enough pieces to hold her over for a few days, and then stopped at the first shopping mall she’d passed on the road and picked up some fun clothes. Denim shorts that actually looked good hugging her ass, t-shirts that were light and airy, and comfy pajama sets that didn’t hide all of her curves under thick, baggy material.
She’d even opted for cotton panties, and though she’d kept a few matching lacy bra and panty sets from before, she preferred the cotton, especially on long, hot days stuck in the car.
A trickle of sweat raced down her spine, and though she didn’t want to walk into the main building of Bear Lake looking like a hot mess, she was grateful for the thin, stretchy denim shorts, and the moisture-wicking plain t-shirt she wore.
She could go back to the hotel, shower, and return later, or on another day, but she didn’t really see the point. It was hot outside, which wasn’t likely to change over the next day or so, and she didn’t want to risk losing the job to someone else because she was too slow. The printed ad had been the only one worth reading in the local paper, and if they posted the position online, too, then she could be up against a lot of prospects.
Considering she had no experience when it came to waitressing, she wanted to get her interview in early, and hopefully leave behind something memorable with the owners, so she would have a fighting chance against the other, possibly more qualified, applicants.
That thought spurred her into action, and she quickly crossed the one-lane road back to the main building. A minute later, she stepped into the lobby and was welcomed by a blast of cool air at the same time another trickle of sweat raced down her back.
Oh god! Please don’t let me look like a hot mess!
There was a man