Asher stifled a yawn. He was only vaguely aware of Chloe breezing through his room, opening the curtains, and telling him to wake up. Once she left, he buried himself deeper under his comforter. The room he stayed in had been done in light colors, mostly white, and when the curtains were opened the sun was relentless. Claire must've known this. Her tactic in waking him. With a groan and the release of his kept yawn, Ash threw the covers off and placed his feet on the ground. His long, graceful fingers quickly ran through his hair trying desperately to get it to settle. No such luck.
Asher padded to the bathroom. Usually he would hop into the shower for a quick wash, dress, fix his hair, and be downstairs for whatever breakfast had been prepared. Today was different though. Ash had prepared for today the night before, taking a shower and laying out his clothes. Chloe had reminded him time and time again to dress nicely for the brunch and he'd set out clothes he thought fit the bill. He'd even gone as far as to shower the night before to save more time this morning. Usually he indulged in a morning jog, but had decided to forego that as well. Instead, he wet his fingers and combed his hair into a fashionably messy style. The kind of look that said 'I woke up like this' while still complimenting his features. He dressed quickly only glancing in the mirror briefly before leaving his own room.
A quick check into Jared'd room told Ash that his assigned 'Problem Child' was already out and about. Asher actually liked Jared. Sure, the kid was quiet and reserved, but Asher had liked him almost immediately. He really wanted to teach Jared to stand up for himself and that sometimes it's best to put yourself before others. They weren't quite there yet, but Ash had no reservations that he'd be able to get through to Jared. At least he hoped he wouldn't.
It was then that Asher heard Chloe's call from the kitchen. "Breakfast is ready, better get down here soon or Harmony is going to eat it all." Ash laughed under his breath. He doubted the five-year-old could eat a breakfast prepared for everyone in the house. "Har-Bug!" Ash called from the top stair as he began to descend. "Did you save me some food? At least a crumb, right?" he asked her teasingly before sweeping her into a hug. Things with him and Chloe had escalated pretty quickly and things were never easy, but he fell in love with Harmony almost right away. The little girl could always bring a smile to his face no matter what the situation.
Still holding Harmony in his arms, Asher went around to where Chloe was standing and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Morning." he told her before setting Harmony down and setting about making himself a plate. "You're going to spoil brunch you keep feeding me like this." he told her jokingly.
With eggs, pancakes, and bacon stacked onto his plate, Asher took a seat at the table next to Jared. "Good morning." he told the younger boy. "Sleep okay?" he asked genuinely. Asher had known that Jared was having some trouble sleeping and always made it a point of conversation in the mornings. The caterers provided enough noise with their hustle and bustle that their conversation wouldn't be overheard, should Jared want to keep it private. Knowing the guy, that was a very real possibility.