Early sobriety is hard. Friendship is comforting.
I think it’s ok to keep texting him back. I’d have come up with a lighthearted joke about the “love you.” It’s a weird response so I’d have giving him an equally weird one back.
Maybe we don’t need to over analyze your deep seated feelings or his motivations or any of it if he hasn’t given you reason to. I give men the benefit of the doubt unless they blatantly come out with it. Like making a physical pass at me, asking for a date, etc: a real pass, everything else is just conjecture.
Friends are good. Glad you’re hanging in there O.