You can still get the CFII first.

Used to be that the GA community (including FSDOs) interpreted the regs to mean that a CFII could give any instrument instruction (including in a ME airplane) without having a CFI or MEI (you needed a ME rating but not an MEI).

The FAA recently issued a legal finding to clarify these rules and basically said you need a CFI/MEI to give any flight instruction. The CFII is effectively now only useful as an add-on instructor rating (although you can earn the CFII before the CFI if desired).