Skinny Dipping by Alicia M Kaye Page A

hair?” Sophie’s eyes fell onto a black number and she reached for it. “Now black is slimming.” Her fingers tightened onto the garment to show it to Carol, but she felt a pull in the opposite direction.
    Sophie’s eyes narrowed. The other woman held the bottom piece of the swimsuit. The woman tugged at the garment but Sophie’s grip tightened. “I’ve got this, and you’ve already got three pieces tucked under your arm,” Sophie said, trying to sound reasonable.
    “I don’t have black,” the woman said through clenched teeth. “Besides, you’re too fat to wear a size eight.”
    Sophie’s heart constricted at the words, and her palms felt suddenly sweaty. “I’m not fat. I’m a size eight, a relatively normal size.”
    The woman let out a large cackle, and her eyes scanned haughtily over Sophie’s frame. “Whatever you think.” How the hell did she know what size she was? It wasn’t as if she was the person who did her washing. Okay, so she was pushing size eight, more of a size ten, but that was Sophie’s decision. She believed that once you bought the larger size, you gave up, and Sophie did not give up. Not on anything.
    “Let’s work this out rationally. Flip a coin or something or we’ll tear it,” Sophie suggested, trying to use words, charm to resolve the situation.
    The woman shrugged. “Sure,” she said. Sophie’s eye darted at Carol and then back at the woman and she felt her grip relax. The fabric was yanked out of her fingertips. The woman snatched the swimsuit away.
    “In your dreams darling,” the woman snarled holding her prize. “I told you it was mine.” She dashed through the racks.
    “Bitch,” Sophie breathed, wanting desperately to chase after the woman running toward the counter. A security guard stood by watching the scene. Sophie threw her hands up in the air, hating the feeling of being taken. Carol reached over and rubbed Sophie’s shoulder.
    “Did you see that?” Sophie gasped.
    “Remember, you’re the more mature person. The bigger person and we can get you something else online but you’re just getting something for your first lesson and not for eternity.”
    Sophie gulped. “I can’t believe that just happened.”
    “It’s all they have in a one piece that will fit you. For the record, you look like a size eight to me.” Carol lifted up a swimsuit.
    Sophie felt her eyes smarting. “It’s not black. It’s bright, bloody red. I don’t want to take these bloody swimming lessons.”
    “I know darling. Your boss though, he didn’t really give you a choice.”
    “If I do this, I suspect he won’t fire me or make me redundant. Can you believe it? Swim for my supper.”
    “Keep your chin up.”
    “And, what law says I can’t get into shopping wars?”
    “It’s a temporary solution,” Carol continued.
    Sophie snatched the swimsuit from Carol. “Okay, this will do.”
    Sophie stopped with a gasp. She saw someone familiar.
    “Sophie?” Carol responded.
    Sophie felt the colour drain from her face, her mind whirring into action. She manoeuvred through the racks, weaving through them to get a closer look. The man appeared to be the same height and the same slim build. He stepped onto the escalators, descending down to the next level. She could only see his back, his dark hair – looking like none other than Derek.
    She took a deep breath. Sophie ran a hand through her hair. They hadn’t spoken since she moved out, a few days ago.
    She headed trance-like to the escalator, her feet jumping on. She stood five people behind the black head and tried to compose her thoughts as they descended. She opened and closed her mouth, then firmly shut her mouth. She didn’t dare call out.
    “Sophie,” Carol hissed on the escalator step behind her.
    She pointed to the man walking off the bottom and disappearing into the perfume section. By the time Sophie reached the ground floor, Derek stood at a perfume counter. “Derek’s here. Should I say hi…or