It's an age old question...

Can a man and a woman just be friends?

My best friend and business partner, Lawton and I are that. But people don't seem to believe it or accept it. I had a client the other day refer to him as my husband. We don't even have the same last name. Hello?
We talk about everything- from business to guys to girls to friends to God. But is it only a relationship that will be short-lived? Once I get married or he gets married will our friendship die and be focused more on a partnership? I feel like our partnership survives because we are such good friends. We really trust each other and we want the best for each other.
A lot of my friends will tease me and tell me that we'll end up marrying each other. And don't get me wrong, he is a great guy, I just can't imagine marrying him. (Even though I have been known to call him my work husband.)
I do know that having a partnership and a friendship with a man is great practice for marriage. It's deeper and different than having a boyfriend- there are money problems, disagreements, confrontations without fear of being dumped, compromises, and other experiences that have made him almost like part of my family.
If the answer is no, then my next question is why? Will my husband or his wife feel intimidated by our friendship? Since I doubt I have met my husband yet, will it threaten my husband that Lawton has known me longer or already knows my quirks, moods and buttons?
AND how will that work if him and I cannot maintain our friendship when I get married? When I get married, I don't want anything to take away from my marriage, so I will have to accept that... and what about the business? Why didn't these questions pop into my head before we became partners? And does it really matter?
Who knows the answers to these questions...I don't have an answer... and I really can't foresee an answer... Its all up to God and clearly isn't worth my worries...