I told a fellow I worked with that some others in the office thought he was having an affair with a gal he was friends with. Instead of acting like your friend, he thanked me for telling him. He was big into rock music, could talk circles around it, and this gal could too. They just really meshed where that was concerned, and I think between that and her punk hair style, he thought she was really cool.
I don't think they were having an affair - he told me that he wasn't. I told him that he was my friend and he didn't owe me any explanations, but I felt that he needed to know what was being said. I appreciated that he didn't shoot the messenger. I think that I helped him by letting him know.
Too bad that your friend didn't act this way with you. I kind of wonder if maybe the reason he struck out at you might be because it's true and he's defensive about it.
Anyway, I guess you have to decide now if he really IS a friend, or not.
Dawn