I am also a loner and the very few who are my friends also know to stick around and be persistent.
It was really hard on my husband when he got so sick. He's a real people person. but he effectively has no family, due to the way he was raised. And when he got sick and stopped being a party animal all his "friends" disappeared.
He has a couple he spends time with, one who often puzzles him as the friend is more like me and often doesn't interact much. Then will call like he did last night and talk 10 to the dozen for a long time.
Sometimes I am lonely, but not often. I am pretty content as I am.
Sounds exactly like me. A chat with someone at shops usually cures me of needing someone! I come home and say so and so said this or that, and he thinks I have lots of mates.. but Im just talking to random people. I sympathise with our hubbys... guess we wish they could see it our way.