Rachel could feel the chill and appraisal in Tracy's gaze, but instead of flinching she walked straight up to her with a sincere smile.
"Ms. Miller, could we talk alone for a moment?"
Tracy raised an eyebrow in surprise, then nodded and followed Rachel onto the apartment's balcony.
Rachel gave Landon a reassuring smile and a little hand gesture, then shut the balcony door, deliberately cutting him off from the living room.
She turned, looked at Tracy, and let out a helpless sigh.
"Tracy, may I call you that?" Rachel's voice was soft. "I can see Landon means something special to you."
Tracy hadn't expected such directness; her expression flickered, but she didn't deny it. She simply folded her arms and waited.
Rachel drew a breath. "Landon talks about you all the time. He says you're charming, you've helped him tremendously—you're his most important partner."
Half of it was true, half a white lie, but Rachel didn't mind a kind fib to ease the tension.
A glimmer crossed Tracy's eyes; the tight line of her face relaxed a fraction.
Watching the change, Rachel bit her lip, lowered her voice even further, and, blushing, almost whispered:
"And… there's something… I don't know if I should say it, but Landon is just too… too strong."
"What?" Tracy didn't catch her meaning.
"In… that respect," Rachel murmured, cheeks flaming.
"He's like a beast. I keep passing out. I can't handle it alone any more—I'm even a little scared."
The complaint caught Tracy completely off guard.
Surprise, curiosity, and a secret thrill surged through her.
Looking at Rachel's innocent yet alluring face, Tracy could see the sweet distress was no act.
Rachel lifted glistening eyes. "Tracy, I think Landon likes you. Since we both care about him, maybe we could be… sisters?"
The bold, blunt suggestion shattered Tracy's first impression of a simple, sweet girl.
She stared, but memories flooded back: the flutter in the car, Landon's averted eyes, the way he'd risked himself in the convenience store.
And—Rachel had just said he was too much for one woman; could she handle him alone?
Outrageous as the proposal was, excitement stirred in Tracy again.
Better to bond with the girl already close to Landon than to fight her.
It would soothe her jealousy and let her keep future rivals in check, securing her own place and interests.
She'd tolerated Landon's past flings; at least now she wouldn't be on edge.
Besides, Rachel's claim about his stamina sparked Tracy's own desire to test and conquer—could she manage him solo?
With that, Tracy's frost melted into an amused, complicit smile.
She patted Rachel's arm affectionately. "I understand, Rachel. Thank you for telling me. You're right—we could be very good sisters."
The two smiled at each other, a strange friendship forged in shared secrets and a special "strategic goal."
The jealousy and distance evaporated under that bizarre understanding.
When Tracy linked arms with Rachel and strolled back into the living room, Landon was dumbstruck. What on earth had Rachel said? Tracy's entire attitude had flipped in minutes.
Back in the living room, Tracy gave Landon a smile laden with new meaning.
"Landon, as a WMA Agent I'm officially inviting Rachel onto my team. And for Del Monte's ad heroine, I'll do my best to win her the part."
Rachel squealed, hugged Tracy, and planted a kiss on her cheek; Landon couldn't believe his eyes.
He didn't ask how they'd become instant best friends.
Whatever had happened on the balcony, the result looked good.
Thanks to Tracy's professional wheeling and dealing, Del Monte and McCann agreed to cast newcomer Rachel McAdams as the female lead.
The moment Landon, Rachel, and Zola stepped into the studio, McCann's director Eric came forward.
Eric, a brisk middle-aged man with a goatee, greeted them warmly.
Seeing Landon in person, Eric couldn't hide his delight.
In the flesh Landon stood even taller, his features more chiseled under the warm lights—born for the lens.
When Eric's gaze shifted to Rachel he paused, eyes sweeping her twice.
The girl's look and aura matched the urban professional in the ad perfectly.
That natural sweetness and approachability was exactly what audiences loved.
"Landon, Rachel, welcome!" Eric shook hands and got straight to the point, pulling storyboards from his assistant.
"Our concept is based on your real-life convenience-store incident, dramatized a bit." He tapped the panels.
"Core message: Del Monte canned food equals reassurance—tasty and dependable. Plot: Rachel buys morning coffee, Robber bursts in, Landon hurls a can to save the day, final shot on product with voice-over."
Having outlined the story, Eric looked uncertainly at Landon. "The key shot is the can toss. Looked great on the news, but we'll need multiple takes to nail angle, force, and camera feel."
"We've scheduled three days, mostly for that one throw. Any issues?"
Landon already had the picture; it was the real event with a bit of acting.
He smiled easily. "No problem, Director. Let's run a few takes and adjust if needed."
His confidence fired Eric up. "Great! Let's prep and try one."