What should I do to save this friendship?

First of all I'm friends with a guy I like and I've been liking him for about over half a year now, but I've been friends with him much longer. I think he might like me, but I'm not sure. We started showing our feelings little by little a while ago but then this girl who I always disliked came in and ruined everything. He went out with her and realized girlfriends are "complicated" and he regrets ever going out with her. I'm just happy he doesn't like her that way anymore, but we got very distant. I'm hangin with him this weekend, anything I can do to make us closer again and make him want to hang out often again? He's sort of cynical sometimes, how can I start a convo with a guy like him? It use to be so easy, but now with his change it's difficult. And don't say to let him go, please. I want to save this friendship and maybe start an actual relationship if possible.