To say that Bobby had expected those words, in that order, would be a lie. She had always pictured herself being the one to say it to James first. He didn't seem like the 'love' type. At all. Or the type to volunteer that love, in the case that it occurred. Though, she supposed, he'd had loads of girlfriends before (and by loads, she really meant a few) so it was likely that one of them heard him say the big three. But still.
Her eyes almost bugged out of their sockets, but she willed them to stay put, to only open a little bit, before searching his own for some sign. What sort of sign, she wasn't sure. Perhaps the sign that he really meant it, and not that Penny's situation was just making him say things for the sake of saying them. But again, James wasn't really the 'say it to appease anyone' type, either. If he said it, he must have meant it. And the thought both touched and scared Bobby at the same time.
Of course, she loved him back. Most definitely. She'd been toying with the idea of saying it to him for a while now, but wasn't quite sure how he'd react. With the cat out of his bag, it made it a lot easier for her to confess. "I love you, too," she said, fluidly.