My ( 28F ) BF (28M ) doesn’t want me around on his birthday

My boyfriend and I are in a LDR. We do plan on eventually settling down. Initially we’d planned a trip around his birthday but that changed since he said he has a work thing around that time that’s going to make it difficult. I suggested going before his birthday and before the scheduled work day. He seemed reluctant and tried to push it to the month after his birthday.

Later, I brought up the idea of visiting him around his birthday to his city and maybe doing something together such that HE does not have to travel at all. He repeated that he had work around that time and started discouraging me from coming. He kept saying he didn’t want me to go through the hassle of traveling (which felt like an excuse, not genuine concern). I insisted I was okay with it, but he pushed back a few times. Only after I asked directly if he didn’t want me around for his birthday did he agree to the idea—but it felt like a reluctant yes.

What’s confusing is that he suddenly seemed okay with a trip we had previously shelved—as long as it happened before his birthday. He also floated the idea of us doing something a month after his birthday instead, saying birthdays aren’t a big deal (which felt like brushing things off).

He’s been spending more time with a newer group of friends, including one person he seems to see often. He’s also started paying more attention to how he looks when he goes out with them. I’ve been trying not to read too much into it, but I can’t shake the feeling that he’s keeping me at arm’s length—especially around this new part of his life. The new group of friends tend to celebrate each others birthdays at Midnight go out for dinner later in the week. I’m starting to think he doesn’t want me around them

I acted normal at the time, but looking back, it honestly hurt. I can’t tell if I’m overanalyzing or if something’s actually off.

Tl;DR, My long-distance boyfriend discouraged me from visiting around his birthday and only agreed after I pushed. Now I can’t shake the feeling he’s distancing himself emotionally, especially with a new group of friends in the picture.