from www.starpulse.com – When cocktail waitress Jaimee Grubbs met the world’s top golfer at age 21, she thought she had finally found prince charming-except he was already married with two children and also had over 10 mistresses claiming to be his number one girl.

However, unlike the other not-so-secret flames who either embraced their newfound fame or shun it, Grubbs was the first to openly show the real side of 34-year-old Tiger Woods-a womanizer who couldn’t satisfy his hunger for blondes.

The former reality television star not only came forward about her relationship with Woods in US Weekly, but she also revealed that she had photos and hundreds of text messages to prove it. However, it wasn’t until Grubbs released the infamous voicemail message of Woods attempting to cover up his escapades that transformed him from sports hero to public failure. While Grubbs was heartbroken that despite their two and a half year relationship Woods was also linked to dozens of women, she decided to move on. As Woods attempted to save the remains of his tarnished career, Grubbs graced the pages of Maxim’s February 2010 issue, showing off the playful, yet naughty side that initially made him go wild.

Exclusively for Starpulse, Grubbs discusses baring it all in front of cameras, finding love after Woods, and why she’s ready for her close up.

Starpulse: What has your life been like since you decided to go public with your past relationship with Tiger Woods?

Jaimee Grubbs: It’s kind of hard to describe because it’s obviously something you’re never prepared for, but it’s been really tough. I have no privacy and every move I make is criticized, critiqued, and blasted across the internet. People are judging me and making their own assumptions of me. It’s really hard to read stuff like that and see it, but I do have amazing friends and family that I involve myself with. They’ve helped me push through this so I’m not just dwelling and hurt from everything that I’m seeing out there.

Despite coming out, you’re still committed to working at Stone Rose. How have people responded to you since this situation went public?

Luckily, everyone has been very positive with me. A great amount of people recognize who I am while I’m working and a lot of people ask to take a picture with me or they tell me things like, ‘What you did was very strong.’ They seem like they’re concerned and I like it. Working there is not hard and it’s my way back to as normal of a life as I can get. However, nothing is ever going to be normal, so I’m still getting the people that say stuff like, ‘Oh you’re that girl. Can I get a picture with you?’ or ‘Could you sign my Maxim?’ I do get the occasional groups that leave products or gifts so that’s always nice.

Starpulse: It must make it easier to work with different people on a daily basis.

No one has ever really been rude to my face. Most people just blast it on blogs. When everything first happened, I was getting voice mails and things like that from rude people. But, nobody has actually come up to me and said anything mean.

Starpulse: In your opinion, how is this photo shoot going to help change the way people see you?

I’ve always dabbled around modeling and it’s something that I always wanted to do. It put me in a different light. The photos are very mature, home girl meets lingerie. I hope people like how they turned out and maybe book me for shoots. I really do want to grow from this and just excel in an area that I have a passion for.

Starpulse: This shoot also creates an opportunity for people to publicly criticize you. Why was it important for you to appear in this major shoot now more than ever?

I wanted to choose a magazine that was very well respected and classy and I feel Maxim does that. I wanted to expose myself, bare who I am. I know that everyone is going to have an opinion. There are photos in there that I was kind of iffy about, so I understand that people are going to have that same opinion. At the same time, I wanted to go with a magazine that I personally respect…basically a magazine that I would buy myself. If I saw somebody in it I wouldn’t look down on them for being in that kind of publication.

Starpulse: Would you say that appearing in Maxim was an empowering choice for you?

It’s something that I’ve never done before and I’ve never left myself that vulnerable with what I was wearing. It was about finding myself out of that comfort zone and adjusting in that aspect. It was something very humbling and hard to do. It was 50/50. It was a very powerful thing for me as far as the statement that I made and to have my dream of being in Maxim.

Starpulse: What has been the response from your family and friends?

When I first approached them with it they kind of steered away from it because it is lingerie, but after they saw the pictures, they loved it and felt that it was absolutely beautiful. They’ve supported me 100% and felt that it turned out to be very classy. I remember stepping out in some of those outfits and wondering if I wanted to wear it because I was so uncomfortable in them. But they really did an amazing job.

Starpulse: You’ve mentioned in a Maxim video that there’s always a positive in every disaster. What has been the positive for you from this disaster of going public and dealing with the media?

The positive I guess would be realizing that people do make mistakes and you can learn from them. This whole thing gave me a voice I didn’t have before. It showed me that people are human and I am a strong person and that there are people out there who will take advantage of you. I want people to realize that I was just a victim in all of this and was deceived. I’m now trying to push through it. I’m dealing with the public and having to grow up fast from it so I can move on. That to me is amazing for somebody to see me as a positive figure and say, ‘We want her to host this event to bring in money for charity.’

Starpulse: Talk a little bit more about how you’re ready to move on from all of this and possibly find love again.

Honestly, the goal is just to move on. But I do want to set the record straight with people and let them know who I really am. People have been wandering around the internet and just saying things. I do find myself wanting to just defend my character and show that I am a strong, caring person. That’s where the struggle is of letting go and moving on. At the same time, I do have somebody that I am dating and care about very much. For us to progress in a relationship, we do have to move on. It makes my daily life hard because every time somebody sees me they say things about the situation and no man wants to hear about you dating another guy, especially someone so public.

Starpulse: That must be difficult for him.

Yeah. It so happens that I didn’t meet anybody new. He was one of my best friends who very much supported me through this entire situation and always made sure that I was OK. It progressed into something more because I realized he was somebody that really cared about me and not obviously somebody like Tiger.

Starpulse: I know many people remember you from your days in VH1’s “Tool Academy.” Is TV in your future?

I never really thought about having a passion for acting, but I am pushing forward to do some hosting on a show. That’s something I really want to get into, whether it’s reporting or party planning hosting, whatever it may be. I’m very outdoorsy, a desk is not a place for me.

Starpulse: Do you have any regrets?

I do have regrets. I know that whatever you do you learn from it and that’s not something you should regret, but obviously, I made bad choices that I wish I could take back. When I found out that Tiger was married I wish I could take back the fact that I didn’t walk away. After I went public, I wish I could take back the impact that it did have on my family and friends because they shouldn’t have been put through that. I do take back any resentment or hurt that has been following my whole situation.