Dominic and Lionel had already lit the charcoal in the grill and were starting on the meat skewers.
Letitia was right by Dominic's side, beer can in hand, clearly having a great time.
Noah sat nearby, with Cynthia and Nicola keeping him company.
Nicola was too young for barbecue, so Cynthia gave her a slice of strawberry cake.
Noah's expression grew distant for a moment when he saw the cake. "You haven't changed. You still only like strawberry cake, and you take it with you everywhere."
"It's true. People rarely change," Cynthia said with a smile. "I remember when we used to go out, you would always bring strawberry cake for me. One time, I craved it in the middle of the night, and you went out to buy some. All the bakeries were closed, so you drove for ages until you found one that was still open. You bought their last slice, but by the time you got home, I had already fallen asleep."
Noah was clearly lost in the memory, his eyes softening.
Cynthia shook her head with a light laugh, teasing, "Oh, well. That's all in the past. Besides, I can't have any now. I can't exactly fight this little one for it, can I?"
Noah looked at his daughter, her face smeared with cream like a messy little kitten, and couldn't help but smile.
When Bennett and Yvonne arrived, a large platter was already piled high with grilled skewers.
Bennett walked over, picked up a chicken skewer, and handed it to Yvonne. "How is it?"
"Ben, you don't trust my skills? Of course it's delicious," Dominic chimed in immediately.
"The flavor is actually really good. I've already tried some," Noah added.
Yvonne took a bite. It was just okay, nothing like what you'd get at a high-end restaurant, but camping was more about the atmosphere. As long as it was edible, it was fine.
Dominic had been grilling for a while and was complaining that his arm was sore, so Bennett stood up to help.
Suddenly, only Yvonne and Cynthia were left at the table.
Yvonne sipped her drink nonchalantly.
Cynthia held a skewer but wasn't eating it. Instead, she started a casual conversation. "After Director Ward's series wraps up, you should have some downtime. I have a new project, a modern urban rom-com. I think you'd be perfect for it. The auditions are next week. Would you be interested in trying out?"
"Thank you for the offer, Ms. Scott, but my agent handles all my professional opportunities," Yvonne replied, politely declining.
Cynthia wasn't the least bit offended by the rejection. She simply smiled. "This isn't the first time we've worked together. I just feel like we have a connection, that's all. You don't have to read too much into it."
"It certainly is some connection. Since you've returned to the country, Ms. Scott, you seem to cross paths with me, and with the Thompson family, far too often. Even on a camping trip like today, we just 'happen' to run into each other."

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