3 // Hook
Sean makes an emotional bid—and an invite to Cozumel—while Liv and her mom find The One in their house hunt.
Note: This is Part 3 of a serialized short story called The Angler. In case you’ve just arrived, here’s where to start:
Introducing The Angler
Part 1: Cast
Part 2: Lure
And now for Hook.
“Let’s do Cozumel, the second week of February. My 50th present to myself: Liv.”
It was a wild suggestion and unexpected text to receive—the day after our first date.
That morning, I had sent him a video message, thanking him again for his generosity and kindness toward my mom. I also admitted that while I said I’d like to go on a second date, December would make that nearly impossible. I was heading to Mountain View for the week, then Topeka the following week, and finishing the year in San Francisco.
“Zero pressure,” he messaged back. “Rushing accomplishes nothing.”
Doesn’t planning to spend your 50th birthday together in Cozumel the day after meeting count as rushing?
Nevertheless, I didn’t want to be dismissive.
“Sounds like an epic adventure. I’ve always wanted to go.” I sent him a photo of me scuba-diving in front of the mouth of a cave in Thailand.
“PADI certified,” he replied, along with a screenshot of airfares. “Look how fair the fares are!”
They were indeed reasonable, less than $500 roundtrip. But what wasn’t reasonable was committing to international travel at this nascent stage. I figured he was just excited and steered the conversation toward the house-hunting trip Mom and I had planned for the week.
The next day marked a milestone—Mom’s last day of work. After 35 years in administrative roles within the county’s judicial department, she was officially stepping into retirement.
One thing about my mom—she had always worked. From picking blueberries at the age of 7 to now, at 77, she had never not worked. And now, she was facing not just the unknown of retirement, but an avalanche of change: life without her husband, selling the house she’d lived in for almost four decades, and soon returning to her Arkansas roots.
As I sat with all of it, I couldn’t help but marvel at the divine timing. Just a year and a half ago, I had made the radical decision to put everything I owned in storage and embark on a nomadic adventure—freeing myself from a lease, from Bay Area rent, from a two-bedroom apartment filled with furniture, art, and all the things we convince ourselves we need. Even a year before remote work was on the tip of everyone’s tongue, I had chosen to start my own consulting business, designing a life with the freedom and flexibility to work from anywhere.
Looking back, it was as if some greater knowing had been guiding me, nudging me to build the very foundation that would allow me to show up for my mom—fully and completely—the moment we lost my stepdad. It was seamless. A gift I hadn’t even known I was preparing for.
As I played Tetris with our luggage, Koda’s bed, and all her necessities in the back of the Jeep, an audio message from Sean arrived in my inbox.
Mom was in the kitchen gathering snacks for the drive.
I took a seat on the back bumper in the garage and clicked play.
“I realized that I hadn’t Googled you to check out your web presence—I was thinking about your business and wanted to learn a little more about it since we didn’t talk much about that the other evening. And when I did, I came across your post…”
The smoothness of his voice started to shake. “And I just watched your eulogy at Ted’s funeral, and my smile turned into tears. You held out on me—you didn’t talk to me about dancing when I brought it up at dinner and said you should dance with your spouse. Now I know why your mom smiled.”
He took a pause to steady himself. “The tears also made me feel encouragement when I listened to you speak about Ted and your daughter.” His voice cracked. “Encouragement that love is still real.”
He cleared his throat and regained composure. “You’ve had me on a roller coaster this morning. So, I’m gonna take a shower and go to work. I hope you have a good day.”
I was stunned by his genuine emotion and heartfelt expression. Imagining this man—more at home moving his 300-head of cattle from one field to another than engaging in heartfelt conversations—experiencing such strong emotions, and then feeling comfortable enough to record and send them, added a new dimension to what I thought of Sean.
His vulnerability was a direct line to my heart, and he had established it.
Mom and I made it to Mountain View, and the week flew by. We stayed at our cousin’s place and toured multiple houses.
The day before we left, Mom finally found The One—a three-bedroom, two-bath ranch-style home nestled on three acres. The crown jewel was the sunroom—an addition that stretched the entire length of the house, offering a panoramic view of the manicured lawn and the wooded expanse beyond. Towering oak trees framed the landscape, and deer wandered through the property, making it feel like a peaceful retreat.
As we walked through it, she kept saying, “I just feel so safe here.”
“Then this is the one,” I confirmed.
The house really was perfect. Just five-minutes outside the town limits in a semi-rural community that everyone we knew regarded as a great neighborhood.
She was excited—and that was exactly what she needed to feel.
“What’s the status of the hunt?” Sean messaged that evening just before bed.
“I think we found it!”
“That’s amazing! Congrats.”
I described the house to him. We chatted about the pace of the town, how I’d spent my summers there as a kid. He had read up on it—how it had retained its culture while carving out a starring role in the folk music scene.
He sent me half a dozen photos of the Browns and Cutthroats he’d pulled out of the river that flowed right by it.
“Do you eat ‘em?” I asked, already assuming the answer.
“Nope. Catch and release. It’s probably not the trout's best day, but I let ‘em go.”
“Oh,” I replied, surprised. “That’s kind, I guess.”
He changed the subject. “I am worried that our not seeing one another for a month could be difficult for you. On your way back, you could take the scenic route and come by the ranch, if you need a quick fix...”
I considered it. “But that would mean my mom would be on our second date. Having her on the first was a novelty. Not so sure about the second.”
“It can be a drive-by hugging.”
Cute.
“Let me marinate on it.”
I took Koda out to pee and then put on my pajamas. I crawled into bed and read his reply.
“Okay. Also, I’m booking Cozumel flights tonight. $450 roundtrip out of KC. If you want to hop on, send me a pic of your driver’s license. I know you have a ton going on. It’s also easy to decide later.”
My gut clenched. “That just made me nervous.” I wrote. “I need a little more time.”
“No pressure,” he reassured me. “I only want you to know that you are invited. Sleeping in the same bed is not even required.”
Separate beds? That confused me.
“Thank you,” I typed. “It’s really generous. I’m just not ready to commit to that yet.”
“Enough said, sweetheart. Thinking is smart.”
The next morning, Mom and I readied for our return to Kansas.
I walked into her bedroom. “Mom, how would you feel about stopping by Sean’s ranch?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Liv.” She was searching for something in her suitcase and sounded irritated. “How long would we have to stay?”
“Not long. Just a quick tour and a snack.” I immediately felt like I was 14 years old asking for permission to hang out with my friend.
“Okay. Do I have to get dressed up?” She had progressed to removing all items from her purse.
I rolled my eyes behind her back. “No, you do not need to get dressed up.” I tried to make it sound more appealing. “I think it’ll be really cool, Mom. He’s been sending me video tours of his house. It’s pretty neat.”
What next? Oh please, oh please, can we Mom? Pretty please mommmmmm…
“This isn’t the one he showed us at dinner, right?” She pulled out a small piece of paper from the side pocket of her purse and held it up victoriously. “Finally!”
“No, it’s an old barn that he converted. I think you’ll like it.” I pointed to the scrap of paper in her hand. “What is that?”
“Notes I took about the house. Anyway, fine, I just don’t want to stay too long.”
“Understood.”
Thanks, mommmmmm.
I stepped into the other room and gave Sean a call.
“What’s up, Curly?” he answered.
“Okay, we’re going to stop by the ranch.”
“Oh! I just got to the office. I wasn’t sure you’d be coming.”
His office was 45 minutes from the ranch, but still just an exit off the highway we’d be traveling.
“Oh, that’s okay. We can bag it.”
“No, no, no. Let’s just meet at a cafe near my office. I’ll feed you ladies lunch.”
“Okay. Are you sure?”
“Curly, I think your mama is kick-ass. And I’m not just saying that to butter your bread. I’ll text you the address. Give me a call when you’re ten minutes out.”
“Okay. We’ll see you in a few.”
I updated Mom on the change of plans, and we began our drive with one scheduled pit stop in Bentonville.
I called Sean as we neared the area.
“Hell-O!”
“Sean, you’re on speaker.” I cautioned.
Without missing a beat—“Delilah, now listen, you’re invited to the wedding, but you can’t come on the honeymoon.”
“What wedding?” she demanded. “What honeymoon?”
“I’m just sayin’, don’t get too comfortable.”
“Now you listen to me Sean, don’t you get too comfortable.” She was bringing the spice and I wasn’t mad about it.
“Alright, you two,” I interrupted. “We’re getting off the highway. Be there in short order.”
“See you soon.”
Sean was already at the table, finishing a business call.
We quietly hung our coats on the backs of our chairs and settled in. The café was adorable—navy walls, warm lighting and gold metal finishings, all with a sweet country vibe.
A friendly server appeared and took our drink orders.
Sean promised a call back after lunch and set his phone down on the table.
“I brought you something,” he said, handing me two bags. “Open this one first.”
Inside, I found a wrapped venison treat and two baked goods. “Are these for Koda?”
“I doubt you’ll want to eat them.” He smirked. His eyes seemed sparklier than I remembered.
He gestured toward the parking lot. “She’s in the Jeep, right?”
“Yeah.” I was touched by his thoughtfulness. “This is so sweet, Sean.”
“And this is for you.” He nudged the other sack toward me.
I pulled out a pink vintage-style flat-brim rope hat with a logo on the crown.
“That’s my ranch logo.” He ran his finger over it. “I figured this was the next best thing. Sorry, I couldn’t give you ladies a tour.”
“Wow, really, this is so thoughtful.”
“Oh!” He put his arm around me. “It’s nothing.”
“Where’s mine?” Mom asked, deadpan.
Sean didn’t need any coaching on how to handle her, which was part of his charm.
“You get a nice lunch, Delilah.”
Mom smiled. They got each other.
Just like our dinner the week before, we ate, talked, and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company.
When lunch was over, Sean walked us to the Jeep to give Koda one of her treats.
I had shared photos of her, so he knew she was a large dog. Nevertheless, her size still surprised him when I opened the back door—just like it did everyone else.
“She’s big for a female, right?” He held out one of the baked goods.
Koda sniffed him, then gladly accepted the gift without much fanfare. She curled up in her bed and began working on her treat.
“Yes, she’s big for a female but also for a Ridgeback. She’s 100 pounds.”
He’d had dogs before, and certainly hunted with them, so he knew how to handle himself. He gave her some head rubs but didn’t make the mistake of trying too hard to win her over.
Sean glanced around my Jeep. “You be careful driving this at high speeds. I don’t like that short wheelbase and high center of gravity.”
“Okay, Grandpa!” I teased. “I’m a safe driver. And I’ve driven her all over the country.”
Noticing the six-speed manual, he still seemed concerned.
“Sean,” Mom piped up. “Great seeing you again.” She gave him a hug. “Next time, if Koda gets a special treat, I get a special treat.”
“Deal.” He said, helping her into the passenger seat.
He came around to my side and pulled me in for a hug. “Let me know when you’ve made it.”
It occurred to me that we hadn’t kissed, and somehow that felt wrong. But before I could give it another thought, the hug was over, and he had opened my door.
I hopped in. “Thanks again for lunch.”
“My pleasure. Seatbelts, ladies.” And with that, he closed the door.
As I merged back onto the highway, a message flashed across my phone screen.
“You are so special.”
Mom wasn’t quick to debrief this time. We listened to music, letting Spotify fill the quiet stretches.
About a half-hour from home, she finally broke the silence. “So, how are you feeling about him now?”
I stared at the road ahead. “He’s growing on me.” I took a breath. “But there’s one thing that will blow this whole deal.”
“What?”
I glanced over at her. “If he loves Trump.”
lol Trump🙄 smh
I to was concerned about travel in the jeep but now know what a cautious driver you are! Still loving the series sis🩷