‘Glee’s’ Mark Salling Teases Puck-Quinn-Shelby Triangle

Shelby’s (Idina Menzel) return on Fox’s Glee has brought out the best – and worst – for certain members of New Directions.

For Puck (Mark Salling), the return of the woman who adopted Beth, his biological daughter with Quinn (Dianna Agron), has been a blessing, transitioning the ladies’ man who had trysts with Rachel (Lea Michele), Santana (Naya Rivera) and Lauren (Ashley Fink) into a good guy who’s hot for teacher.

“I think his feelings for Shelby right now are pretty intense and pretty overwhelming,” Salling tells The Hollywood Reporter. “The fact that she has his baby now is a pretty strong bond.”

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In last week’s episode, “Mash Off,” Puck professed his love for the Trouble Tones’ coach, noting that he makes him feel “like the man that I’ve always wanted to be – a family man,” and confessed his hand in Quinn’s attempt to prove that Shelby’s an unfit mother in her bid to regain custody of Beth.

“Puck really thinks he can be in that baby’s life and be Shelby’s man,” Salling says. “He could be in it for the long run; it could be the real deal.”

Despite his strong feelings and the pair’s shared kiss, Shelby doesn’t appear to be as eager to continue a possible May-December romance when she rejects his advances, telling Puck that it’s just a crush and she could lose her job at McKinley.

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“He’s 18 years old, so it can’t be too long until he’s out of high school,” Salling says, noting that Shelby “may have to cut it off or put it off until a later date.” “Once he’s out of high school, I think it’s game on. They’re the real deal. But who’s to say she’s going to give him that chance; she may not.”

In the meantime, Shelby takes Puck’s confession to heart and pushes Quinn out of Beth’s life until she can grow up and behave responsibly, with Salling noting that Quinn could turn to Puck for comfort – and possibly something more.

“That’s a safe assumption [that Quinn turns to Puck] or she could be up to something else a little deeper,” Salling teases. “I think those kind of serious feelings can manifest in a few different ways — or maybe she’s trying to get another baby. Quinn’s wanted Beth so badly that she may just try to have another one.”

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Which could almost explain the promo for Glee’s “I Kissed A Girl” episode, in which Puck is seen embracing what appears to be a depressed Quinn in bed, preparing to tell her something she “must keep a secret.”

“Quinn is dealing with a lot, seeing her baby right in her face,” Salling says, adding that Puck may have to confide in her that he’s undone her work and come clean to Shelby.

“This is definitely not the end of seeing Puck and Quinn together on screen, it’s just the beginning,” Salling says. “This next episode is a very pivotal episode and a lot of questions about the Puck-Quinn-Shelby triangle are going to be answered.”

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In the meantime, Salling notes that Puck’s good guy streak will likely last as long as Beth is in the picture. “I think it’s sincere and completely genuine,” adds Salling, who’s currently working with ConAgra Foods’ Child Hunger Ends Here campaign.

Glee returns Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

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