(Excerpt)
Eteo’s eyes were still closed when Logan walked in again, looking frustrated, his face reddish. He fidgeted with a pen as he reported his lack of progress.
“I’ve had trouble getting much Platinum Properties stock. It seems like traders are forerunning our orders. Do you want to look into that?”
Eteo turned to his screen. He concentrated on the depth of the stock and saw his orders in line up to 49 cents. But someone else from the firm was in front of them. He double-checked the order slips and called the head trader, John.
“Hi buddy, who’s in front of our Platinum Properties orders? I thought you were done with what you wanted to do.”
Eteo’s voice must have betrayed his concern. John was reassuring.
“It’s only a small order from another broker, Eteo, no need to worry. Let him get a few shares and then yours will be up front.”
Eteo put the phone down. “Keep your ears to the ground, son. If you hear anything unusual, let me know right away.”
Logan nodded but said nothing and walked back to his desk. Eteo dialed Susan’s number.
“Hello sweet Susan.”
“A sweet hello to you too, Eteo,” she replied.
“Want to hook up for lunch?”
“Sure. Are you very hungry?”
“Extremely. And you?” he asked, teasing her.
“I am.”
“Hungry for what, though, sweet Susan?”
She laughed into his ear. “And for that.”
“I’ll make sure you’re fed, my love,” Eteo promised.
It was the first time Susan had heard him call her that. She felt her cheeks redden, and a sweeter feeling ran down her spine and over her whole body.
“What time is your lunch break today?” Eteo asked.
“In twenty minutes. Can you wait for me?”
“Twenty minutes, yes, but not a single minute more. You’ll come down here?”
Susan assured him she would be there on time
“See you in twenty, baby,” Eteo said, putting down the phone.
A quick check of Platinum Properties showed it trading at 55c with his orders lower than the market. He called Logan into his office.
“Raise these two orders a little higher. From 48 and 49 and to 50 and 51. We’ve been sitting too low. I don’t see us getting any shares otherwise.”
Logan quickly changed the prices of the buying slips and went to the trading desk to instruct the traders. By the time he got back to his father’s office, they were first in the line of purchasers and within a few seconds they had secured almost twenty thousand shares in a couple of transactions. Eteo smiled.
“Stay at this position until the end of the day. John might decide to take some of his profit and walk.”
Logan agreed, seeing what was happening in the market as another seven thousand shares came to them at the same price. Almost as soon as Logan had gone back to his desk, Susan arrived. Eteo got up at once, took her by the arm and walked her out. Susan was still flushed and warmed up from his earlier words. She turned and looked at him as they stood by the elevators, her eyes speaking her desires more eloquently than words. Eteo basked in her glance. He too had no need for words.
