rried rhythm. Irene reached the café, Dou

ed in to wait. Not long afterward, her new fr

er seem full of energy and confidence. Her cropped blonde ha

sed a strong, athletic figure. She carried herself with natural confidence, co

plates arrived piled high with fresh strawberries,

ly one of the best things Irene

here memorable food often felt rare, even a s

o a relaxing afternoon until Cai

h the football team. Would you be interested? I'

diately stiffened.

ned, but no w

ular, but the workload is light. Training sessions only run from four to five-thirty

far, though. Honestly, our football team isn't exactly setting the world on fire. But don't tell the boys that. Just keep e

ect. "Caitlin, hold on, I think

ved carrying their waffles. He greeted Caitlin warml

ough the air. Looking at Irene, Caitlin calmly delivered her co

. She felt as though she were being carried downst

alized something uncom

life. She had become so accustomed to adapting to everyone else's

she dated. Their careers, ambitions, and priorities always

able life. Yet when Brody received a transfer opportunity, she abandoned ev

a job. A professional footballer's transfer, on the other hand, could dete

e truly wanted for herself. Now, caught up in Caitlin's enthusiasm, she felt herself slipping into the same familiar pattern. A

of disbelief and amusement. "And what

Coaching probably didn't require lengthy conversations, but that wasn't the real issue. Her anxiety only

Borussia Dortmund. After that, you dated players from Barcelona and Real Madrid-guys who were literally playing in El Clásico every season. And Brody, the man you recently broke up with, is one of Manchester United's bigge

lly. "You're really saying you can

ng. Irene opened her mouth to argue, only t

he salary is thirty thousand crowns a mo

ore she could think twice, the words escaped her lips. "When

s of her decision finally caught up with her. Standing alone in the center of

more players. No more clubs. No more emotional disasters tied to

reasonably paid job offer to

was only a coaching position for schoolchildre

unease in her stomach

ctical systems, and relentless training. What she didn't know was how to work with ordinary

setting sun. Inside, Irene remained motionless in the quiet room, o