--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’ve been trying to think of a solution,”…" description: "\"“I’ve been trying to think of a solution,” Reinhold said, “and I could come up with only one idea.” “What?” “Marry me.” A burst of laughter tumbled out..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/jody-hedlund-19424_marriage_i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution_482287.jpg" --- # I’ve been trying to think of a solution,” Reinhold said… ![“I’ve been trying to think of a solution,” Reinhold said, “and I could come up with only one idea.” “What?” “Marry me.” A burst of laughter tumbled out of her. At the flash of hurt on Reinhold’s face, she cut the laughter short. “You’re serious?” “Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” he responded. “Because…” quote by Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/jody-hedlund-19424_marriage_i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution_482287.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/jody-hedlund-19424_marriage_i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution_482287.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/jody-hedlund-19424_marriage_i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution_482287.jpg) > ““I’ve been trying to think of a solution,” Reinhold said, “and I could come up with only one idea.” “What?” “Marry me.” A burst of laughter tumbled out of her. At the flash of hurt on Reinhold’s face, she cut the laughter short. “You’re serious?” “Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” he responded. “Because that would be really awkward.” “It wouldn’t have to be.” His brows came together in a scowl. “I’d make a good husband, Elise.” Seeing he was, in fact, being serious, all the humor she’d found in his suggestion fell away. She studied his profile for a moment, the rippling muscles of his jaw, the maturity that had developed in his face in recent months. He’d been the man of his house for the past year, shouldering more responsibility than most other young men his age. Not only was he faithful and hardworking, but he was tender and kind. She’d seen the sweet way he treated his younger siblings, the same way he did Nicholas and Olivia and Sophie. He’d not only make a good husband, but he’d make a good father too. But marry him? She couldn’t imagine it. “You’ll make an excellent husband,” she said cautiously. “But you’re my brother and friend. It would seem strange—” “You mean more to me than a sister.” His voice cracked over his raw confession. “Reinhold, please don’t.” She didn’t want to hear that he had feelings for her. If he admitted he liked her beyond friendship, things would become uncomfortable between them, and she couldn’t bear that. “It doesn’t matter how either of us feel,” he said quickly, changing his tone back to the brotherly one she needed. “The fact is, if we get married, then my mother can’t say no to you coming to live with us.”” [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man proposes marriage to his sister/friend, confronting societal norms and personal fear of awkwardness. **In simple terms:** He asks her to marry him despite being siblings. Key Takeaway Consider love versus family expectations. Themes family love social norms fear commitment Mood conflicted hopeful anxious Type narrative dialogue emotional When to use this quote - family gatherings - private confession - decision making - relationship counseling Key Concepts sibling romance conflict cultural expectations Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal desire with societal expectations? - Can love overcome familial boundaries? A Different Perspective The proposal may be unrealistic due to legal and moral constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-father/) [Good husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-husband/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Young men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-men/) [Younger siblings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/younger-siblings/) ## Related quotes > [You're 40 and he's 22. Do you have to marry him? 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Not to prevent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/maybe-that-s-why-god-had-placed-the-angel-at-the-garden-of-eden-to/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Her pretty mouth curled into the beginning of a smile. He’d learned that she doled out smiles sparingly, and so he gave himself permission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/her-pretty-mouth-curled-into-the-beginning-of-a-smile-he-d-learned/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Maybe we won't have the beauty of a perfect summer. But neither do we have to endure the callousness of an uncaring winter. Instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/maybe-we-won-t-have-the-beauty-of-a-perfect-summer-but-neither-do-we/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Christine,” he mumbled between their lips, “we must be married soon.” She couldn’t find the words to answer him. 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She expected irritation or at least weariness to cross his features and was completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/reverend-bedell-she-said-he-halted-and-glanced-at-her-she-expected/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Her words made her pause. She couldn't have anything that was truly worthwhile without fighting for it-her farm, her family, and perhaps even love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/her-words-made-her-pause-she-couldn-t-have-anything-that-was-truly/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Christine,” he started, “is it possible that God can do more yet between us?” Was that a note of hope in his voice? Did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/christine-he-started-is-it-possible-that-god-can-do-more-yet-between/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“You’re amazing.” He didn’t realize he’d spoken the words aloud and that he was staring at her again, until she averted her eyes, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/you-re-amazing-he-didn-t-realize-he-d-spoken-the-words-aloud-and-that/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Maybe his offer to marry her had taken them both by surprise, but now that he’d brought it up, he couldn’t imagine his life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/maybe-his-offer-to-marry-her-had-taken-them-both-by-surprise-but-now/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Like last week, she was wearing all black. And like last week, he couldn’t keep from noticing the way the dark color highlighted her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/like-last-week-she-was-wearing-all-black-and-like-last-week-he-couldn/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Maybe we both let our fears push each other away. But we don't have to do that anymore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/maybe-we-both-let-our-fears-push-each-other-away-but-we-don-t-have-to/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) [Explore all 32 Jody Hedlund quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) ## More Gaze quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Taylor said a prayer for the man, and apologized out loud. Knowing there was nothing left to do, she turned to leave. As she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-ellison/taylor-said-a-prayer-for-the-man-and-apologized-out-loud-knowing/) [J.T. Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-ellison/) > [“If it makes you feel any better, he’s been all sad doll lately too.” “What are you talking about, Chels?” Chelsea stopped walking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-derting/if-it-makes-you-feel-any-better-he-s-been-all-sad-doll-lately-too/) [Kimberly Derting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-derting/) > [“Rodrigo tried to draw a deep breath, but his chest was too filled with anguish, rage and guilt. He kissed his ash-coated fingers. “I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-valdez/rodrigo-tried-to-draw-a-deep-breath-but-his-chest-was-too-filled-with/) [Lisa Valdez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-valdez/) > [“still feel the same way? Could he have changed this much on the inside too? Struggling for the right words, I opened my mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-wild/still-feel-the-same-way-could-he-have-changed-this-much-on-the-inside/) [Meredith Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-wild/) > [“Being held by him, kissed and mastered, taken under and swept away, enthralled her in a way she—an independent woman if nothing else in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-sumner/being-held-by-him-kissed-and-mastered-taken-under-and-swept-away/) [Tracy Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-sumner/) > [“Don’t you remember how hot we were together, Lane? 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What the devil was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/this-explains-so-much-she-said-clucking-her-tongue-in-mother-hen/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) Browse all 15,087 Gaze quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I’ve been trying to think of a solution,” Reinhold said, “and I could come up with only one idea.” “What?” “Marry me.” A burst of laughter tumbled out of her. At the flash of hurt on Reinhold’s face, she cut the laughter short. “You’re serious?” “Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” he responded. “Because that would be really awkward.” “It wouldn’t have to be.” His brows came together in a scowl. “I’d make a good husband, Elise.” Seeing he was, in fact, being serious, all the humor she’d found in his suggestion fell away. She studied his profile for a moment, the rippling muscles of his jaw, the maturity that had developed in his face in recent months. He’d been the man of his house for the past year, shouldering more responsibility than most other young men his age. Not only was he faithful and hardworking, but he was tender and kind. She’d seen the sweet way he treated his younger siblings, the same way he did Nicholas and Olivia and Sophie. He’d not only make a good husband, but he’d make a good father too. But marry him? She couldn’t imagine it. “You’ll make an excellent husband,” she said cautiously. “But you’re my brother and friend. It would seem strange—” “You mean more to me than a sister.” His voice cracked over his raw confession. “Reinhold, please don’t.” She didn’t want to hear that he had feelings for her. If he admitted he liked her beyond friendship, things would become uncomfortable between them, and she couldn’t bear that. “It doesn’t matter how either of us feel,” he said quickly, changing his tone back to the brotherly one she needed. “The fact is, if we get married, then my mother can’t say no to you coming to live with us.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jody Hedlund" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution-reinhold-said-and-i-could/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gaze" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution-reinhold-said-and-i-could/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/jody-hedlund-19424_marriage_i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution_482287.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/jody-hedlund-19424_marriage_i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution_482287.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d6/jody-hedlund-19424_marriage_i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution_482287.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I’ve been trying to think of a solution,” Reinhold said, “and I could come up with only one idea.” “What?”…” — Jody Hedlund", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jody Hedlund", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I’ve been trying to think of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution-reinhold-said-and-i-could/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution-reinhold-said-and-i-could/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```