Free Dreaming in Dairyland by Kirsten Osbourne

boring.  Instead we'd be dirt sisters."
    "Yes!  And we will always be dirt sisters, Cindy.  No matter what!"  They pulled up in front of the house and went inside to get what Cissie needed.  "I've already got most of it packed up and ready to go."  She led the way up to her bedroom and pointed out the boxes she needed moved first.
    Trey picked up the first box.  "What have you got in here? Rocks?"
    Cissie shook her head.  "Books!  I mostly read on my Kindle, but those are books that I've had autographed by favorite authors."
    Trey looked at the five boxes of books.  "You've had that many books autographed?  How did you meet that many authors?"
    "Online!  Cindy and I are both part of some Facebook groups with some authors.  We help them, and they send us books.  Everyone's happy!"
    Trey looked at Cindy.  "Why didn't I know this?"
    Cindy shrugged.  "You know I read a lot."
    The men carried out the boxes while Cissie and Cindy carried the hanging clothes.  Trey grumbled about the books every time they passed him, but Bob just took it in stride. 
    Cissie overheard Bob say to Trey, "If these boxes are giving you trouble, maybe you should start working out."
    She hurried past too quickly to hear Trey's response, but she couldn't let her friend's husband hear her laugh, and she was about to explode. She was leaned into the back of the Equinox laughing when Cindy came up behind her.  "What's so funny?"
    Cissie explained what she'd heard and Cindy covered her mouth to stifle her own giggle.  "Trey's not a gym rat like Bob, but he's strong."
    "I know.  I just thought it was hilarious."  Cissie watched their husbands walking toward them.  Bob was wearing shorts and a tight fitting tee-shirt.  "I do like the way my new husband fills out his clothes."
    Cindy nodded, watching them.  "Maybe we should suggest they take off their shirts because it's so hot."
    "It's fifty-five degrees out.  Neither of them would believe that was why.  If we were moving in summer, maybe.  Besides, you don't need to be ogling Bob.  You love Trey!"
    "I do.  But Bob is serious eye candy."
    Both women were laughing as they walked past the men to go back into the house. 
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    Their first week of marriage went by much too quickly for Cissie's tastes.  She loved getting to know Bob, and she loved every minute they spent together.  Sunday afternoon he was watching the Bears play the Packers and rooting for the wrong team entirely, while Cissie sat beside him on the couch, her Kindle resting on his broad shoulder.
    They had agreed to not watch the game together, not wanting to cause friction in their marriage.  Cissie read one of her favorite author's newest books, wincing every time Bob cheered.  She'd check out the score of the game later, like she always did, but she didn't have a need to watch the actual game itself.
    They talked during commercials.  "What time do you go into work?" she asked.
    "Nine most days.  What about you?"  He knew their schedules wouldn't mesh well, but he planned to do whatever was necessary to see her as much as he could.
    "I go in at noon and work 'til close every night but Wednesday.  I participate in the karaoke on Wednesdays so I'm technically off at five thirty, but everyone still comes to me with questions.  I guess I could leave, but I'm not supposed to."  Would they ever even see each other?  Other than the weekends?
    "What time is close?"
    "Ten.  Eleven on Fridays."  She knew the hours were long, but she was needed so she worked them. 
    Bob frowned, looking over at her.  "We're never going to see each other, except weekends and Wednesday nights.  When you get home, I'll be sleeping."  He quickly started thinking about how he could change his schedule to match hers.  It shouldn't be hard, because the guys on nights all wanted to be on days.
    Cissie didn't like the sound of that at all.  "We don't open 'til noon most days, so I can't really change my hours.  I