McKettrick's Heart by Linda Lael Miller

McKettrickCo for a few years when he met Shelley and thought he’d found a way to fill that hollow spot at the back of his heart. Shelley was already pregnant with Devon when they eloped, and he might never have known he’d been conned if the baby hadn’t needed a transfusion after emergency surgery.
    He’d gone straight to the lab to give blood, only to learn he couldn’t because Devon’s was of a rare type. The doctor hadn’t exactly said Devon couldn’t be Keegan’s biological child, but the facts had been there in his eyes. Later, tearfully, Shelley had admitted that she’d been with somebody else while they were engaged. She’d never said who.
    He closed his eyes against the memory.
    A stir in the crowd made him open them again.
    Jesse and Cheyenne were indeed back from wherever they’d gone, both of them smiling, walking hand in hand toward the center of the festivities.
    Devon, Rianna and Maeve all shrieked with delight, ran toward them and practically knocked Jesse off his feet. Grinning, he greeted each one in turn.
    Jesse had a way with women, all right. Big ones, little ones, old ones, young ones and everything in between. They all adored him.
    Keegan excused himself from the table, got up and went to kiss Cheyenne’s cheek and shake Jesse’s hand.
    â€œI heard about Psyche,” Jesse said quietly, when Cheyenne was surrounded by chattering girlfriends and spirited away. “I’m sorry, Keeg.”
    â€œWho told you?” Keegan asked, frowning. Jesse and Cheyenne hadn’t mentioned where they were going on their honeymoon, and as far as he’d known, no one had been in contact with them since the reception.
    â€œMyrna,” Jesse replied. Myrna Terp was the office manager at the Indian Rock branch of McKettrickCo, and she prided herself on knowing more about other people’s business than the average CIA mole.
    About that time, Rance rolled up in his truck, the horse trailer hitched behind. He got out of the pickup, walked around and slapped Jesse on the shoulder. “How was the honeymoon?”
    Jesse merely grinned.
    It said it all, that grin.
    Rance chuckled and whacked Jesse again. Then he turned to Keegan. “Where’s that damn donkey?”
    â€œAcross the street in the churchyard, eating petunias,” Keegan answered.
    â€œYou go get some supper and spend a little time with Emma and the kids. I’ll load Spud.”
    â€œWhat donkey?” Jesse asked, clearly out of the loop.
    Rance’s smile widened. “Keegan’s starting a herd,” he said. “He’s going to be very big in the lop-eared jackass trade.”
    Keegan just shook his head and made for the churchyard.
    â€œI’ll help,” Jesse said, falling in step with Keegan, while Rance went to join Emma and the others.
    â€œYou’re just back from your honeymoon,” Keegan reminded him, his strides lengthening a little. “Shouldn’t you be hanging out with your new bride?”
    Jesse kept pace. “How long does it take to load a donkey into a horse trailer?” he reasoned.
    Spud, watching them approach, nickered a welcome.
    Keegan opened the gate and the donkey came right to him, reins dangling.
    Just as Rance had, Jesse checked the animal’s feet, ran a hand over his protruding rib cage. There was no trace of the trademark grin when Jesse faced Keegan. “He’s been neglected, and abused, too, from the looks of him.”
    Keegan nodded, and as the three of them crossed the street he explained briefly how he’d acquired Spud.
    Jesse threw the bolt on the back of Rance’s trailer and lowered the ramp. Keegan led the donkey inside and was glad to see that Rance had thought to put hay in the feeder and make sure there was water.
    After removing the bridle and buckling on a halter, adjusted for size, from the selection on the tack wall, Keegan fastened on a lead rope and tied it with a