I think all these “little white lies” are adding up to the fact that he’s just not honest with you. That’s my opinion. Relationships shouldn’t be this much work. Yes, it takes effort to communicate and work out differences of opinion and disagreements. But honesty should never be an obstacle in an authentic and fulfilling relationship. You clearly don’t trust him and gut feelings are right in my opinion. Your friend who is a mutual friend has a vested interest in both friendships. I don’t think this person can give you unbiased advice based simply on the facts. I think you can find someone who makes you happy. There’s a reason you two broke up the first time and you’re already unhappy again. Good luck to you.