Can there be true friendship between a man and a woman?
Depends on the man and woman in question, I'd say. Also, it's trickier when you're an adolescent with raging hormones, but in adulthood, friendship between men and women is certainly as possible as same-sex friendships. Whether or not the friendship is "true" depends mostly on factors other than gender - the ability to stick around for good times and bad being chiefly among then.
Of course, when you're a telepath you have a slightly different take on strong friendships anyway (as opposed to casual ones, I mean). If you lower your barriers completely, you live basically without skin. Which demands great trust and a strong emotional commitment. It's not easy to get that far; if you do, it's one of the most intimate experiences imaginable. Whether the other person is a man or a woman is almost a non-issue in comparison.
Of course, when you're a telepath you have a slightly different take on strong friendships anyway (as opposed to casual ones, I mean). If you lower your barriers completely, you live basically without skin. Which demands great trust and a strong emotional commitment. It's not easy to get that far; if you do, it's one of the most intimate experiences imaginable. Whether the other person is a man or a woman is almost a non-issue in comparison.