When we reconciled, my wife told me that this (losing my friendship during her affair, and the potential of losing it FOREVER) was THE single-biggest reason she decided to end it, and come back to me.
That was the slap of reality my H gave me, also. I could not believe he would not want to be friends with me!
Crazy, I tell you!
It is not about what you feel should work in your M. It is about doing the work that gets the right results. Do what works!