Between Stairs and Stardust by Pepper Basham

Stand alone novella

Summary:

An illustrator in hiding

A millionaire with a gardening fascination

And the possibility of a perfect fit for a happily-ever-after

Once Upon a time…

A young illustrator, forced from her home in Boston, must return to her Blue Ridge Mountains to escape a scandal. Certain that her dreams are on hold, Stella Emory doesn’t expect to find a prince charming in the form of James Craven, a young man who works in the gardens of the famed Biltmore Estate. Brought together unexpectedly, the two begin a tender friendship inspired by James’s little sister and the story of Cinderella, but James isn’t all he seems.

As their friendship grows into a romance, the truth of James’s millionaire status shakes Stella’s confidence. When her past follows her to Asheville, Stella thinks her chance at romance with James is over, but will a Christmas masquerade and the remnants of a charm bracelet somehow provide the magic Stella needs to clear her name and claim her own happily-ever-after?

Opening Lines:

Sunset and sunrise captured the magnificent country chateau best. 

The copper crown rose above the tree line on the hill like a castle from a fairytale, leaving a reflection of soft gray-and-golden glint in the pond at Stella's feet. 

Yes, she loved this spot.