"I came here to see you. Lunch helped."
That removed every useful response from my head. I picked up the terrace board because doing nothing felt worse.
"This is the revised layout," I said. "Kitchen moved left, lounge opened up, dining closer to the doors."
He stepped beside me to look, close enough that I became aware of the exact distance between us.
"And that's better?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because movement matters. No one should have to cut through one zone to reach another. This stays clear. That stays usable."
He looked at the board, then at me.
"You thought about this before you got here."
"I woke up thinking about it."
"I know."
"You do not."
"You always start with whatever's been in your head longest."
I turned toward him.
"You study people for work."
"I pay a
