A Bridesmaids tale part 6

Hello Friends

Here is the next part in our story A Bridesmaids Tale.

Remember you can download and keep the story as read by Stephanie.

XXX

Andy

A Bridesmaids Tale part 6

Andy’s heels clicked faster and faster as he made his way toward the grand doors, breath hitching with every step. His hands were shaking, clutching the fabric of his dress as if holding on to something could keep him from crumbling entirely.

His face was burning. His heart was racing. His mind was screaming.

What did I just do?

Across the room, Maria, Jane, and Andy’s sister watched, their joy replaced with a sudden, nervous tension.

“He ran,” Jane whispered, her voice soft but uneasy.

Maria set her champagne down, her brows furrowing. “I didn’t think he would panic like that.”

The bride bit her lip, glancing at Will, who still stood frozen on the dance floor, hand half-raised as if he’d been about to reach for Andy but hadn’t quite made it. His expression was a mixture of confusion, shock, and something else—something softer but uncertain, something he didn’t know how to handle.

“He’s scared,” the bride said quietly.

Maria exhaled, her voice steady but filled with hope. “Will isn’t.”

The three women stood in silence for a beat, watching as Will stayed rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on the doors Andy had just fled through.

“Go after him,” Jane whispered under her breath, as if she could will it to happen.

For a moment, Will didn’t move.

He looked down at his hands, the hands that had held Andy’s so gently just moments ago. His brow furrowed, confusion flickering across his face. Why had that kiss felt so different? Why did it feel like something cracked open inside of him when Andy’s lips brushed his cheek?

And then, as if something inside him shifted, his shoulders straightened.

He didn’t think. He didn’t overanalyze. He didn’t hesitate.

He just moved.

His footsteps were quick but not frantic, determined but nervous. The ballroom seemed to blur around him as he weaved through the crowd, ignoring the whispers and curious glances. His eyes were locked on the door Andy had disappeared through, his mind racing but his heart steady in one simple truth—

Andy needed him.

At their table, Jane let out a small sigh of relief. “There he goes.”

The bride smiled softly. “He won’t let him run away.”

Maria, ever calm and knowing, simply nodded. “No. He won’t.”

And as Will slipped through the doors, chasing after the boy who had just turned his world upside down, the ballroom behind him faded away. The uncertainty was still there, lingering and raw, but so was something else.

Something worth running for.

As Will disappeared through the doors in pursuit of Andy, a hush settled over the ballroom.

For a moment, the entire room seemed to collectively pause, holding its breath, as if absorbing the weight of what had just happened. Guests glanced at one another, expressions filled with curiosity, surprise, and something else—something warmer.

Then, the whispers started.

“I hope they’re okay.”

“They looked so sweet together.”

“They fit somehow, don’t they?”

“I always thought there was something between them.”

“I didn’t expect this, but… it makes sense, doesn’t it?”

And, overwhelmingly—

“I just hope Andy knows how loved he is.”

Maria and Jane shared a glance, their own initial uncertainty melting away as they took in the atmosphere around them.

This wasn’t scandal. This wasn’t judgment.

This was love.

The entire room was rooting for them.

Maria let out a quiet breath of relief, a small smile creeping onto her face. “Well,” she murmured, “I think we did something right.”

Jane grinned. “Oh, absolutely.”

Then, without hesitation, they both began moving through the crowd, engaging in warm conversation, effortlessly smoothing over any lingering confusion with charm and grace.

Guests asked gentle questions, not out of nosiness but out of care.

Maria explained things with an affectionate smile. “Andy’s always been Andy, and tonight was about giving him the space to just be. I think it’s been a surprise for him, too.”

Jane, ever dramatic, added with a wink, “And as for Will? Well, let’s just say the poor boy didn’t stand a chance.”

Laughter rippled through the room at that, and someone murmured, “I always thought those two were close. Didn’t expect this, but… I love it.”

The bride, having rejoined the conversation, smiled knowingly. “Honestly, we just gave them a gentle nudge.”

“Gentle?” Jane scoffed. “That was practically a shove.”

More laughter. More warmth.

Any tension that had lingered before was now completely gone, replaced by a collective sense of love and understanding.

And through it all, one question remained, softly spoken but filled with hope—

“Do you think they’ll be alright?”

Maria, with complete certainty, simply nodded.

“Oh,” she said warmly, “I think they’ll be more than alright.”

Will found Andy just outside the ballroom, tucked away in the quiet corner of the garden terrace. The soft glow of the lanterns flickered against the night, casting golden light over the stone path. The air was cooler out here, crisp and fresh, but Andy didn’t seem to notice.

He was hunched over slightly, his arms wrapped around himself, his breath shaky. His beautiful, glistening pink dress shimmered under the lights, but his shoulders trembled, and the soft sound of stifled sniffles reached Will’s ears before he even got close.

Andy was crying.

Will’s chest tightened.

He had never seen Andy cry like this before—not over something serious, something real.

“Andy,” Will said gently as he stepped closer.

Andy’s head snapped up. His face was flushed, eyes glassy with tears, lips parted in shock at seeing Will there. He quickly wiped his cheeks, trying to compose himself, but it was useless. His emotions were unraveling too fast.

“I—I’m sorry,” Andy choked out immediately. His voice was thick, rushed, frantic. “I—I didn’t mean to, I wasn’t thinking, it was so stupid—”

“Andy—”

“I messed everything up, I—I embarrassed you—”

“Andy, stop.”

Will’s voice was quiet but firm, warm but steady, and it was enough to make Andy pause. His breath hitched, his chest still rising and falling too fast, but he swallowed his next sob.

Will stepped closer.

And then, without hesitation, he pulled Andy into his arms.

Andy gasped at the contact, his whole body stiffening for just a second before Will’s warmth surrounded him completely. Will’s arms were strong and secure, holding him close, not letting go—not giving him a chance to run away this time.

Andy let out a broken breath, his fingers gripping at the fabric of Will’s suit, his cheek pressed against Will’s shoulder. The tension in him slowly melted as Will held him there, steady and warm.

“Breathe,” Will murmured softly, his voice so close to Andy’s ear that it sent a shiver down his spine. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

Andy squeezed his eyes shut. “I’m sorry,” he whispered again, barely audible now.

Will’s hold on him tightened. “You don’t have to be.”

Andy swallowed. “I—I kissed you—”

“I know.”

Andy’s throat tightened. “I embarrassed you—”

Will finally pulled back just enough to look at him, keeping his hands firmly on Andy’s arms. His expression was unreadable for a moment—his brown eyes searching, his lips parted slightly like he was working through something inside his own head.

And then, softly, with quiet certainty, he said—

“I’m not.”

Andy froze.

His breath caught, his lips trembling as he processed those words.

Will wasn’t embarrassed?

Will wasn’t upset?

Andy’s heart pounded against his ribs. His mind spun. His fingers curled against Will’s jacket.

For the first time since he had fled, he dared to look up into Will’s face—really look.

And what he saw there made the whole world tilt beneath him.

Andy stared at Will, his breath coming in short, uneven bursts. The world around them—the glowing lanterns, the distant hum of the wedding party, the cool night air—faded into nothing.

All that was left was this.

Will’s hands on his arms.

Will’s steady, unwavering gaze.

And the words that still hung in the air between them—

"I’m not."

Andy’s mind spun, trying to make sense of it. He had assumed Will would be embarrassed, that he’d be upset, that he’d want to forget the whole thing ever happened.

But Will wasn’t.

His face wasn’t filled with shock or discomfort.

It was gentle.

Soft.

Curious.

Like he was still figuring something out, but he wasn’t afraid of it.

Andy’s lips parted, his heart hammering so hard he thought it might break free from his chest. “But I—I kissed you,” he whispered.

Will gave a small, lopsided smile, something fond in his expression. “Yeah,” he said simply.

Andy swallowed. “I didn’t mean to, I just—it happened, and I—”

“I know,” Will said again, and then, with the smallest tilt of his head, added, “Did you want to?”

Andy felt his breath hitch.

The truth was terrifying.

Because yes.

Yes, he had wanted to.

Somewhere, deep down, beneath all the nerves and uncertainty and confusion, he had wanted to. He had never planned it, never thought about it, but the moment had come, and his heart had known before his head did.

And now, here Will was, standing in front of him, not running away.

Andy’s lips trembled. “I—”

He couldn’t say it.

He didn’t know how to say it.

But Will just looked at him with those soft brown eyes, his grip still warm on Andy’s arms, as if he understood anyway.

A beat of silence passed between them.

Then, slowly—so slowly—Will lifted one hand and gently wiped away the dampness lingering on Andy’s cheek. His touch was featherlight, careful, but it sent a shiver through Andy’s entire body.

Andy felt like he was glowing under Will’s touch, his whole being attuned to the warmth of it.

Will took a breath, his thumb lingering for just a second longer before he finally let his hand drop.

“You didn’t embarrass me, Andy,” he said quietly. “You never could.”

Andy let out a shaky breath, his emotions still tangled inside him, but something about the way Will said it made some of the panic ease.

They were okay.

Maybe even more than okay.

Andy didn’t know what this meant yet, what it was, but—

But Will was here.

And he wasn’t letting go.

to be continued