A few weeks prior to Paige DeSorbo's announcement of their breakup, she was envisioning a future with Craig Conover.
The Southern Charm star, aged 35, shared with PEOPLE in early December his reasons for quitting alcohol—driven by his aim to become "more of a husband and father material" for DeSorbo—and candidly revealed his intentions to marry the Summer House star before she confirmed their separation on Dec. 30.
"We're looking at the bigger picture. Chasing after immediate pleasures would be easy, but we're laying the groundwork for the long term, aiming to spend our lives together until the end," explained Conover, 32, who started dating DeSorbo in 2021.
Craig Conover (left), Paige DeSorbo (right). Tibrina Hobson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty; Rich Polk/Bravo via Getty
He added, "We know marriage is in our future, and when it happens, it'll be enjoyable, but the timing is uncertain."
"Removing ourselves from the pressure and gaining some perspective makes life simpler. There's no need for added stress. By taking our time, people will continue to follow our journey rather than seeing it rushed."
Paige DeSorbo and Craig Conover try some of Panera's new menu items at a launch event. He was also forthcoming about their commitment to being "healthier than many other couples you see on TV" in their relationship, which viewers witnessed on Southern Charm, Summer House, and Winter House, transitioning from friendship to romance.
When asked about their relationship, Paige aptly responds, ‘I understand. When I watch TV shows, I, too, feel the need to be part of it,’” he explained. “We share a lot of our lives publicly, but there's a lot of background noise.”
Looking forward, Conover expressed his dedication to making things work with DeSorbo.
"We don't know exactly what it will look like. It might be a few years before we start a family, and we'll figure it out then. Right now, I’ve embraced the idea that a happy wife means a happy life," he stated.
He also talked about the challenges of their long-distance relationship, as he resides in Charleston and she in New York City.
“Our goal is that when we have children, we can be home with them as much as possible,” he revealed. “We had to decide whether to live a traditional life with someone else in our respective cities or not. Ultimately, we concluded that finding the right person is the hard part, and we’ll manage the rest later.”
Craig Conover, Paige DeSorbo at 'Watch What Happens Live'.
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On a December 30 episode of her podcast, Giggly Squad, DeSorbo shared that she and Conover had parted ways. She noted that the breakup was unexpected and described him as the “best boyfriend I’ve ever had,” emphasizing that there were no hard feelings.
"I have immense love and respect for Craig. He is one of the finest people I’ve ever known. I will always be his biggest supporter and wish only the best for him because he truly deserves it," she remarked. "However, it was the right decision for us as we move forward in our respective lives without forcing it."
"I love him, and I believe he loves me,” she added. “We will likely remain friends. Nothing bad happened. We were both mature enough to articulate what we wanted and didn’t want, and that's a powerful thing to express your feelings and desires for the future openly.”