Ashe had been trying to do what he could to help Daryn and to keep up with Phoenix. He hoped that by taking up some of the work there that it would give Daryn a little more breathing room since she was very much overworking herself. And he didn't feel like he could do much more than that. So he focused on what he was best at.
Ashe noticed her reaction and could discern from it that this was news to Daryn. At least it was good news? Well not really. The contact was good but not necessarily the information. At least he thought so. He was still new to this so he wasn't sure he had much to contribute. So then we need to figure out how to change that feeling. Right?