I prepared mint tea for close friend (8)
I believe the answer is:
intimate
'close friend' is the definition.
(intimate can be a noun: a close friend)
'i prepared mint tea' is the wordplay.
'prepared' indicates anagramming the letters.
'mint'+'tea'='minttea'
'minttea' is an anagram of 'ntimate'.
'i'+'ntimate'='INTIMATE'
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for intimate that I've seen before include "Give hint to close friend?" , "pal" , "Tip off" , "Personal - hint - friend" , "Closely acquainted" .)