Inside Craig Conover's state of mind following his Paige DeSorbo breakup

Craig Conover He tries to live in the present after being separated from him Paige DesorboThe source says exclusively Us Weekly.

“Craig has been in good spirits since announcing his breakup with Paige,” the insider says, noting that Southern charm The star “has a lot of friends gathered around him.”

While Conover, 35, is “inwardly upset” over the breakup, he “put on a brave face” during his New Year's Eve celebrations and “had a lot of fun,” according to the source.

“He's spent the last few days in Aspen, (Colorado), trying to take his mind off things,” the insider adds, with Conover sharing that he's currently “trying to be around positive, fun people.”

Related to: Craig Conover hinted at marrying Paige DeSorbo two months before the breakup

Paige DeSorbo and Craig Conover were open about their long-distance relationship before their split in December 2024. “We're spending as much time together as possible and being patient with each other,” Conover told Us Weekly exclusively in October 2024 at Hayu FanFest in London. “We are in a great place, fortunately, New York and (…)

Aside from spending time with his inner circle, the Sewing Down South founder is “really focused on his business and that's what keeps him busy,” the source explains.

Conover currently operates two tailoring locations in the South — one in Charleston and one in Nashville — in addition to working for them Southern charmco-hosts the podcast “Pillows & Beer” and opened By The Way restaurant with a friend Austin Kroll In late 2024.

The last few weeks have been a Roller coaster for Conoverwho recently shut down speculation that he and DeSorbo had split. “I don't know where that came from, because we're together almost every week,” Conover said. and! news Confirming at that time that he and Summer house The 32-year-old star is “not broken.”

Related to: Paige DeSorbo denies that Bravo told her when to announce Craig Conover's breakup

Paige DeSorbo is shutting down assumptions that Bravo made her wait before confirming her split from Craig Conover. During the Monday, December 30, episode of her and Hannah Berner's podcast The Giggly Squad, DeSorbo, 32, explained the timing of her and Conover's decision to split. “It's very sad. And just to (…)

Shortly after celebrating Christmas with their families, DeSorbo announced on Monday, December 30, that she and Conover had married We broke up after three years of dating.

“Craig and I have decided that we will no longer be together,” DeSorbo explained during her speech. Hannah BernerThe “Giggly Squad” podcast. “I love him, and I think he loves me. I think we will remain friends.”

She insisted: “Nobody did anything. It wasn't a bad thing. I think we've been really mature and saying what we want and what we don't want, and I think it's very powerful to be able to express what you're feeling in real time and what you don't want.” want for your future“.

we He confirmed at the time that Conover and DeSorbo had different views on their future — and Conover has expressed as much in the past He wants children and marriageWhile DeSorbo said she He was in no hurry to do so either -It was part of what caused them to break up.

“Craig was ready for the next steps and had plans to propose to Paige. He was really pushing for the next steps and wanted to settle down with her.” Insider said exclusively we on Tuesday, December 31, explaining that the physical distance between the couple makes achieving this next step more difficult.

Desorbo, who He resides in New York Citydid not want to move to Charleston, where Conover lives, according to the source. “Logistically, it's not going to work out in the long run,” the insider explained.

While the source indicated that “many of their friends were not shocked” by the separation, “everyone is sad for them.”

The split is still new for the Bravo personalities who got close after filming the first season of the series Winter house In early 2021. They started dating that summer and fans caught glimpses of their romance in both Southern charm and Summer house Over the past three years.

When it comes to Conover's next steps, our first insider tells us we He and DeSorbo “have not cut off all contact yet.”

The former spouses are Dealing with division “Mature,” the source says, noting that Conover “said he definitely misses her” and the “emotional transition has been difficult so far.”

With reporting by Amanda Williams